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

My lease requires that I have the carpet cleaned by one particular company before relinquishing the property. In my experience, these carpet cleaning companies are master con-artists, with their hidden fees and other surprises. Since I can only work with the approved vendor, there really isn't any incentive for them to do a good job or give a decent deal. I'm guessing it will cost about $100 or so, but we shall see. I wish I could use the guys on Groupon for $50. I wasn't happy about this provision when I looked at the lease, but I needed the apartment, and they told me someone else was interested in the apartment and that everyone in the area had similar requirements. Those two statement probably weren't true.

So now that I'm getting ready to move out, I am thinking that this fee really isn't legal. There doesn't seem to be any controlling case law that is on point, but I think I can make a decent argument. North Carolina's Tenant Security Deposit Act, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-50 to 56, states that "The landlord may not withhold as damages part of the security deposit for conditions that are due to normal wear and tear nor may the landlord retain an amount from the security deposit which exceeds his actual damages." N.C. Gen. § Stat. 42-52 (2012). Based on this language, it would definitely be illegal to charge all tenants for profesional carpet cleaning out of the deposit, even if the carpet was in perfect condition, much less if was returned with only "normal wear and tear". So my question is, why is it okay for them to demand a blanket charge, even if there is no damage? I think it is possible to say that the carpet cleaning requirement does not meet the "actual damages" requirement of the Act, but has the same effect of taking the money out the deposit. Second, the Residential Rental Agreements Act has a section called "Authorized Fees," which lists several fees in which a lease may include, including court appearance and late fees. N.C. Gen. Stat. 42-46. Carpet cleaning fees are not in the list. Based on the construction, the statute seems to authorize certain types of fees, to the exclusion of all others not listed.

First, I know I signed the lease and accepted the provision, but I can't waive a statute's legal protections, and I feel that I wasn't dealt with fairly on this matter. Second, I realize this isn't much money at stake, but I am anticipating that my landlord will "nickel-and-dime" me on the deposit refund. I am in a college town and I know this is how property managers around here make a big chunk of their money. If they try to abuse me, I would like to return fire with a "scorched-earth" strategy of coming after them for every reasonable damage, like breach of implied warranty of habitability by showing that the dryer exhaust was too long, per the building code, and posed a fire hazard. I'm a law student, so even if its all small change, it could be fun to take this to small claims court just for the experience.

So is this sound something approaching rationalle, or should I stop complaining and do something more productive? Thanks.