Tenant Damaged Garage Door - Would you charge?

[Ron Rohrssen]

I have a tenant in a C class home that used to have a nice over-sized 2-stall heated garage. The Midwest Derecho of 2020 destroyed the garage, and privacy fence. The home had some minor damage and the tenants were unharmed.

They helped with a LOT of tree debris hauling to the curb, for which I gave them several hundred dollars for their assistance.

The last repairs due to the Derecho were just completed, and they have been fairly patient during all of this. Especially since they completely lost the use of the garage for 10 months.

Generally they have been good tenants. It's their first time renting/living together. They gave notice and will be leaving in about 5 weeks. So, plenty of notice.

Unrelated to the storm, the tenant has backed into the garage door several times attempting to park too close. It was dented and pushed in, but it could be pushed back out and is still functional. Two of the four panels are crinkled and dented in several areas.

The replacement is about $1,100. That will eat up the security deposit and then some. 

Normally I wouldn't second guess passing along charges like this. He broke it, he's responsible for fixing it.

Thoughts?
Options? 
Or, just stick to my guns and charge him for the repair out of the security deposit, and bill the small difference.

[Theresa Harris]

If it was that many times and you already gave them a discount on the rent when they couldn't use the garage, then take it out of the damage deposit.  You paid them for helping you with the clean up.  Wait until they are gone and then arrange to replace the doors.  My guess is after they hit it the first time, they didn't care and figured they'd have to pay for a new one (or you'd have to replace it).  There is being nice and being taken advantage of.  The fact that it was brand new a year ago is even worse.