Time Frame for Potential Charges

[Finnegan]

My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Oregon

My husband and I moved out of an apartment on 02/25, gave proper notice, etc. Because we didn’t pay a deposit (only move-in “fees”) I didn’t provide them with a forwarding address, nor did they ask for one (notice was given 1/24). They also didn’t request a walk through or anything like that. The last contact I had with them at all was when I handed in the notice to vacate and she wrote down our prorated rent amount. We paid it, they accepted it, I handed in the keys via their lock drop box as no one was in the office at the time I took the keys to return them.

My question is this, I’m reasonably certain that they have 31 days (which would have been yesterday) to return a security deposit, does that same time limit also apply to fees they may try and charge for damages? I was a little worried because the apartment had recently changed ownership and we had, for months, asked to have repairs made to appliances, and prior to that (previous management company) cupboards, floors, etc. They did come in and rip up our bathroom floor the year before we moved out, but they didn’t replace or repaint the walls when they had to put a new toilet, sink and light fixture in. By the time the new management company took over a couple months before our lease was up, we’d already decided to leave and subsequently stopped asking for repairs to be made. However, they had told other residents that they weren’t given the records from the previous management company and I have worried that they might try to charge us for “damages” or things done by the old company’s maintenance manager (which the new property gal admitted to me she had heard from numerous other folks had a history of damaging things and then not repairing them) … I’m just wondering if they can still come back and try to charge me for “damages” or if after 31 days they can’t? I’ve had no contact, and although we didn’t leave a forwarding address, they have cell phone numbers for both my husband and myself, so it’s not like they can’t call and talk to us or ask for the address. Thoughts?

[Mr. Knowitall]

Their claim for damages is independent of the (non-existent) security deposit, so they can claim damages for a considerably longer period. The general limitations period for claims arising from damage to property is two years.