Bad situation made worse

By Bee

I was scheduled to move out of home I was rented on 6-30-10.  I hired 2 cleaning ladies to help me cleaned the house on 6-28-10 and had carpet cleaned on 6-29-10.  On 6-20-10, I requested a walk-thru via email to the landlord.  I also spoke with landlord over phone and told her that I could meet her when she did the move out walk through at anytime because I was on vacation that week and I worked very close to where the home was. I didn’t get the walk and was notified on 7-7-10 via email that Landlord wanted receipt for carpet cleaning; I called the next day and asked why?  She said that the carpet was ruined from carpet cleaning because the carpet was flat.  I asked did you vacuum it to see if it would fluff back up.  She said "no," I asked her what could I do? Would you like for me to come and vacuum it?  She said "no."  I will keep you posted.  I waited and never hear back so I called and left a message on 7-12-10 because I knew new tenant was suppose to move in over the weekend.  She called me the next day 7-13-10 and said I can come and vacuum. I went got my vacuum, 2 long orange extension cords and asked the neighbor if I could use their utilities and vacuumed.  A few spots didn’t fluff up immediately.  Called the carpet and he was very angry (supposed to licensed and insured).  Landlord showed up after I finished vacuuming.  I asked landlord what kind of carpet and she stated she didn’t know.  I said this is probably going to end up in court and she said we should be able to work something out and I will keep you posted.  I got a notice from her about 2 weeks later indicated I owed $154.00 for cleaning, trimming bushes and over 5$ for the certified letter she sent me and my $1000 deposit was TBD for the carpet.  I was livid cause I she had my deposit and asking for more money when I cleaned that house top to bottom and it was filthy when I moved in it.  I asked her to tell me what she cleaned and reminded her what was on the move-in checklist. I got no response.  I sent her another email on 8-9-10 telling her that she needs to give me a explanation of the charges for the carpet and what she cleaned.  She indicated that she was waiting on the vendor to come and give an inspection of the damages of carpet inflicted by my carpet cleaner.  I responded by saying it should not take this long and she should have let me know that when she sent the letter.  In the meantime, when I when to vacuum the carpet, the new tenants were already there and moving in.  I have a lot of concerns here:  1.  If I would have gotten the walk through with her, I could have vacuumed right then before power was turned off and carpet probably would have all fluffed back 2.  I need that receipt because I can determine if it was cheap carpet and if it was installed properly (matting etc).  I can do my own search.  But she refuses to give me a receipt for anything, she just ignores me.  I think she bought cheap defective carpet, but without a receipt I can determine anything.  I gave the receipt she requested for the carpet cleaner?  Since someone has moved in how can the get an accurate assessment.  As a matter of fact they were there before I vacuumed.  I nee to be able to do my research and have a good explanation because I will have to get the balance from the carpet cleaner in court and without proper documentation I will loose again.  I was told it will be 2 separate cases but I have to do this.  I just don’t know where I stand and if her behavior has made the situation worse.  I need help on were to proceed from here.  I did response back with a certified letter also.  Did not have a right to a final walk through?  Did the 2-week delay in vacuuming make things worse?  Does the new tenants moving in prior to me vacuuming make the evidence tainted?  Should she have given me an estimate of charges within 30 days of my move-out?  There are a lot of things that happened prior that leads me to believe she didn’t behave properly and has every intention of keeping my deposit.  How will I be able to re-coupe my money from carpet cleaner if she is denying me these things?  Also, carpet cleaner said he always leaves the carpet looking that way, it just needs to be vacuumed and he has never had a problem. Please help, as I am so frustrated.

Bee from Orlando, FL

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