Pay for leaky faucet with Security Deposit?

[Calvin Toner]

I rented my house 3 months ago for the first time to a young couple who are great tenants in the sense they pay on time, but have called me 3 times for requested services. This time they want a faucet fixed that was never leaking when I lived in the house. I want to do something to ease back on the rate of service requests they have while still being fair. Would it be legal to charge for the plumber for the sink from their security deposit?

[Matt Devincenzo]

SD is for damage when they move out, do not use it for items while they live there. As far as the service calls, if it is tenant caused damage then you bill it to them at the time of the call. That said a leaky faucet is almost 100% not their fault. Your perspective is wrong in that you don't just wish to reduce service calls and therefore make it happen. You reduce calls for non maintenance items, but this is clearly maintenance. Also its not uncommon for there to initially be a slew of minor calls etc when you first turnover as a tenant gets settled. Its part of managing units so as long as the items are real maintenance issues you just deal with them.