Which sensetive spot did I press? 

However, if the lease says rent is due on the 1st, enforce the late fee and continue to press back on the tenant.

Its like pressing on a super heavy clutch, but the car doesn't accelerate even when you floor it.

Excellent plan.Jesus wept.Ok , do you think that if you press charges for passing bad checks will come back against  the landlord ?     

I'm worried about the damage they will do to the apartment the longer they are in there.I own the book by nolo press and love it!!

And I agree, that you can press charges for a bounced check, too.Kick him out and then wait to see if he includes you in his list of "amends" for his 4th step :-)

I don't blame him for trying.....whether he is persistent in pressing the issue is another story...!

Short list of free or cheap references for Small Claims & Collections:Everybody's Guide to Small Claims Court Nolo Press Amazon $29.99Filing & Winning Small Claims For Dummies Dummy SeriesTips for Collecting Your JudgmentJudgment CollectionsHow to collect court judgments

I pressed him a couple of times to explain my risk in this, and as best as I can tell, I'm risking $3,000 if I keep them separate.The reason I cannot escrow them is because the blanket policy has to be paid for once a month in one payment (or twice a year or once a year, whatever you like), and not from four different "pools."

Additionally, you may want to press the dishwasher issue, as they should be repairing it for you.