First off, my Wife and I moved into this duplex a little of 2 years ago. When we first moved in, the place wasn't completely finished. The back deck was missing some boards, windows needed screens, bottom of the kitchen sink was rotting out, bath room door wouldn't latch, etc. etc. I never gave him a hard time about it, I new he had a full time job and a family, didn't expect him over there every week so I just let it go.
Anyways, my wife and I let him know 3 months prior to moving out that we were looking into buying a house and we also gave him our final 30 day notice once we got the place. The last month we spent quite a bit of time at the new house changing somethings getting it ready to move in and a I ran short of time cleaning up the duplex we came from. Come to find out he totally hosed me on my security deposit and isn't giving anything back to me. I wasn't expecting to get all of it back, I knew he should keep some of it but not all of it. Here is the list he sent me:
1) Excessive nail holes resulted in a patching and total repaint. $175
The walls had nothing more then a few holes from where pictures were hung, no cracks or damage what so ever.
2) Dirty Kitchen Appliances. $75
Appliances needed cleaned, I agree although $75 seems pretty steep.
3) Dirty Bathrooms. $75
Again, they needed cleaned but $75 seems steep (only 1 1/2 bath)
4)Unvacuumed Apartment $20
I'm not going to complain about that
5)Broken Miniblinds (3) $60
They were broke, kids will do that, I accept that as well.
6)Holes drilled in Garage floor $40
Again, I accept this.
7) Replace doorknob in garage $20
When I moved in, there was NO door knob on the garage door, I had to put this one in there in order to get the damn thing to latch and now he is trying to charge me for something I personally had to install out of pocket?
8)Oil removal from garage floor $20
There was oil on the floor when I moved in the place. I didn't even park my cars in the garage.
9)Trash Removal (From front lawn) $50
I had some furniture and extra carpet sitting by the side of the road with the trash company scheduled to come pick it up. He took it upon himself to put it back in the garage cause he didn't want to wait on the trash company.
10)Last water bill $71.72
That's fine as well.
The total costs are $606.72 and my deposit was $600. Over all I feel like he is just trying to milk out these charges to try and not have to give me part of my deposit back. I tried talking to him about it and said that if he returned $250 to me I would consider it fair, he is not willing to negotiate. It just irritates me, we were always good tenants, always hand delivered our rent ON TIME, never once late, now he wants to return the favor like this? Am I in the right here? What can I do?

