Re: Tenant kicked in door can I charge them for repair

Re: Tenant kicked in door can I charge them for repair by Stacey (Mo) on April 18, 2012 @11:25

The door frame was broken and the door only shows minimal dents.

As this is my home and the door was only about 3 years old it does bother me that there are now dents in the door.

Should I just replace the frame and then charge for cosmetic damage to the door, is that even allowable. How would I come up with a charge for that?

[ Reply ] [ Return to forum ]

Re: Tenant kicked in door can I charge them for repair by P-Bone in WNY (NY) on April 18, 2012 @12:04	[ Reply ]

You have to separate your personal feelings for the house from the business of being a landlord. You cannot treat it like your house anymore and have it cosmetically beautiful at the tenant's expense if it is still fully functioning. If the door can be repaired (frame and dent) I would charge them for that. If the dent can't be repaired, I would just put it back in as is for now. There's no real way to monetize that damage without replacing the door and I would find it difficult to charge for what it likely not a cheap standard door, if the door in fact works and functions as it should slightly dented.

Re: Tenant kicked in door can I charge them for repair by Anonymous on April 18, 2012 @13:31	[ Reply ]

I understand your logic but to advocate for Stacy I would like to make a few points in question to me. Why is it right that a tenant gets to deteriorate and I do mean damage your property at the LL expense? Dents in a door is not wear and tear it is damage. If the tenant moved in with and door which was whole and broke the frame and dented the door then I think the tenant should have to replace the door and the frame. I think that maybe the tenant should have to pay for the door less a few years depreciation. That would be devided by the 50+ year life of the door. Bill total amount for frame and bill total amount for door minus a few bucks. Why should a LL have to watch his property deteriorate? You know what that gets you is a junk property. Not this year or next but that is the direction it goes. If you give the tenant a brand new door and they mess it up with dents I personally think it is the LL responsibility to bring there property back to what it was before the tenant damaged it. If you don't you bring down the value of your property and every house on that street loses.

Re: Tenant kicked in door can I charge them for repair by P-Bone in WNY (NY) on April 18, 2012 @14:08	[ Reply ]

I am not saying that I may not eventually charge them to replace the door, but would you replace a door and put in a brand new one in a place that already had an issue where a tenant or guest of tenant kicked it in? I wouldn't. I would do all I could to make the current door usable. Upon vacating the property, I would do what was necessary to return the property to its original condition, door included. I apologize if I left that out from my prior post.

Re: Tenant kicked in door can I charge them for repair

Re: Tenant kicked in door can I charge them for repair by Shaun (FL) on April 18, 2012 @13:28	[ Reply ]

Call whoever you use for repairs or your favorite contractor. Have him/her fix the frame so that it opens, closes, and locks as it should. Repair damage to the exterior wall and interior wall (if any) and the interior door trim. Never seen a exterior door kicked in that didn't damage the interior trim. This all includes chaulking and touching up the paint. Pay the contractor or handyman. Make a copy of the bill, send the copy with a letter explaining what the charges are for... Damage to the front door and requesting immediate payment. There is a good chance they will not pay right away. When they pay their rent... subtract the cost of the door FIRST. Then ask them where the rest of their rent is. Here is where states vary. If you are allowed to accept partial rent payment, then take the rest of the money and Pay or Quit them for the rest of the rent. (In FL I can't take partial payment and still P/Q) Do not take it from the deposit, that is for when they move. If they are fussing and fighting your are going to need all the deposit. You are really going to need your big girl pants, b/c tenants will promise the world, "I'll have it by Friday", etc... and it is so easy to give in. NO matter what they promise Post the Pay or Quit so that if they do not follow through and pay, you have leverage.

Re: Tenant kicked in door can I charge them for repair by MrDan (Georgia) on April 18, 2012 @15:13	[ Reply ]

Stacey, this was intentional damage by the boy friend kicking in the door. Charge for the replacement of a complete new door that's in comparable style to the old door. Include labor to replace door also. This was not accidental damage done by being careless, but was done without regard to the landlords property. You should have no problem requiring the full payment from the tenants to be made whole again. Put pressure on the girl friend to make a police report for the damage and have her press charges. When he goes to court, you can appeal for payment of the damages done to the door. The judge should make that a condition of the sentence or fine to reimburse the landlord. Good luck.

Re: Tenant kicked in door can I charge them for repair - Landlord Forum thread 253417