Re: charging for damages - Landlord Forum thread

Re: charging for damages by Anna Mouse on March 15, 2012 @12:28

It has to do with your state law. Some states allow the charges for the labor hours of the LL and others do not.

Here is what important and an example for lets say cleaning. The LL should get a few estimates of the hourly rate for cleaning. In my state it averages from $30 to $40 an hour from a professional company. So as a LL I could A) hire a service and bill the SD for what they charge. B) I might decide I wanted to clean and then charge for my supplies and maybe $20 an hour. That would likely fly very well in court. I am not a professional cleaner but I am charging $10 to $20 less than a pro would.

I am going to look up your state and see what I might find

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Re: charging for damages by Nicole (Maryland) on March 15, 2012 @13:29	[ Reply ]

Thank you both so much for the input. I had tried to look for my state but, I am not as experienced as you probably are Anna. Any and all help you can offer is greatly appreciated.

Re: charging for damages by P-Bone in WNY (NY) on March 15, 2012 @14:06	[ Reply ]

It doesn't appear to be that specific. It looks like it says the landlord would have to prove the actual costs claimed on the security deposit settlement, but makes not specific metion of the allowability or inability to claim personal time for certain functions.

Re: charging for damages by Anna Mouse on March 15, 2012 @15:03	[ Reply ]

Okay! I searched and searched and finally found this website: http://www.bni-maryland.org/Documents/Tenant_Intro_Packet.pdf I even read through the dang thing and found that it did say in Maryland you can charge for your own labor. I want to make a note to what I said earlier. Be certain that you charge less for cleaning that what 3 or 4 services would charge you. While searching it was said that maybe minimum wage was a fair price for cleaning? In that case I will NOT be lifting one sponge or spraying one product for that price. I will absolutly hire a cleaning service and be sure to be there during the time they clean doing other things that need to be done. That way the person off the street with no skills will be sure to do it right! It all comes down to looking at the thing through the judges eyes. The judge should be fair to both parties. Error on the side of being very fair if you do the work yourself. Consider the skill necessary for the task..(back to my rant on minimum wage and no skills for cleaning. It is clearly a no brain job. However all people have brains and I have seen many people not be able to do the job right) This makes me want to do it myself but if I only get paid minimum wage then I will pay and supervis.e

Re: charging for damages by Anonymous on March 15, 2012 @18:15	[ Reply ]

Thank you very much!! Your right there are somethings it's just easier to hire the person to do it. But with this situation it was me doing it to have it ready for the new tenant. The old one held over and it created a situation where I worked all night and delayed the move in of the new tenant. Yes, I know I can charge him, but the old tenant is not one that cares what is on his record. So, anything over and above the security deposit I will be eating. Even if I get a judgement, I won't be paid. So, minimizing my costs was part of the reasoning.

Re: charging for damages