Do you follow any specific "mediation" practices?

San Jose has rent control and a dispute mediation program.

It is because the day before Thanksgiving last year I settled a similar case through a mediator.

I think there is some mediation process if you jack up rents to get someone to move out.. but again, some SF folks might have to confirm that..

You're in CA, you have full protection over 10% or 1k, however, contractors can ask for advance on materials, if you mediate that, then 1k is probably the biggest you can give to a contractor, labor wise.

The way the escrow docs are written any disputes we have over the EMD will be hashed out in mediation and arbitration.

If Hubzu or the listing agent tries to pull any shenanigans, the Sacramento Association of Realtors has a mediation department that handles situations like this.

But paying the big bucks for the professionals to re-mediate the mold is not necessary.

It just might mean that you have to go through mediation/arbitration and/or small claims court to do so.

For the future, I would recommend that you put in your lease contract that the tenant agrees, in an event of a dispute to resort to arbitration /mediation.