1
Asked 587 days ago
I just moved out of a complex called Park Regency. A female friend of mine cleaned it for me and did an excellent job. The staff member that did the final walk-through with me stated it was the cleanest one he has seen since he has worked there.
However, they are still charging me a $110 cleaning fee. If you look at the reviews on your own site at http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/CA-Walnut-Creek-Park-Regency-Apartments.html
you will see that this is a pattern for this complex. They charge people regardless of how well they have cleaned.
They are also charging me $87 for painting for just a few scuff marks, even though they are completely repainting the unit in order to do a color change.
This place is simply fleecing the renters for all they can when they move out. What are my chances of recouping some of the money they have deducted through small claims in California?
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3 Total Answers
Answer by tonestar on Apr 17, 2008 at 11:35AM
Very, very slim. Almost never does a resident clean an apartment to "move in" standards regardless of what they think. Everyone says "I left it better than I got it". This is almost never true. If you take them to court they will come with pictures, a move in checklist, vendor bills and a company attorney. You will come with hearsay and proof that they carge a lot of people for cleaning upon move out. EVERY apartment community charges a majority of move-outs for cleaning. You may be right, they may be screwing you on this one. That being said, it will be almost impossible to prove it in court. If you proceed with a court claim please keep us updated.
Comment by Heyw00d on Apr 17, 2008 at 4:27PM
I hear what you are saying. A correction to your comment would be that in small claims court, they cannot be represented by an attorney, nor can I.
I doubt I will pursue small claims, but I think that there is a connection betwen the maintenance manager and the "cleaning company". He either outright owns it, or is a partner in it, and that would seem to be a conflict of interest.
One other point I would make is that they are charging me $87 for "light" painting, even though on the bill they provided, they are doing a complete color change... so they are painting the apartment anyway.
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Comment by Heyw00d on Apr 17, 2008 at 4:27PM I hear what you are saying. A correction to your comment would be that in small claims court, they cannot be represented by an attorney, nor can I.
I doubt I will pursue small claims, but I think that there is a connection betwen the maintenance manager and the "cleaning company". He either outright owns it, or is a partner in it, and that would seem to be a conflict of interest.
One other point I would make is that they are charging me $87 for "light" painting, even though on the bill they provided, they are doing a complete color change... so they are painting the apartment anyway.
Answer by tarne on Jul 09, 2008 at 4:47PM
If they are doing a color change and it is getting done automatically they can not charge you for it.
Im sorry the company screwed you on cleaning, I have been a manager for 14 years in california and if people attempted to at least clean the apartment I gave them a break. However, it is hard to get around the "as clean as it was when you moved in" part unless you hired a professional cleaning company and have the reciept for it.
Im sorry the company screwed you on cleaning, I have been a manager for 14 years in california and if people attempted to at least clean the apartment I gave them a break. However, it is hard to get around the "as clean as it was when you moved in" part unless you hired a professional cleaning company and have the reciept for it.
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Answer by Sweetness2299 on Sep 09, 2008 at 8:21PM
It may be because of your length of residency. You may of had to live "X" amount of years before cleaning is considered wear and tear and it is waived. It avoid these situations, you have the right to request an Inital Inspection prior to move out and get in writing what would be deducted that way you have time to fix and clean.
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