Hey, so I moved in w/ someone that had posted an add on craigslist for a roommate. He encouraged me to paint and even helped.. I'm moving out two months later and of course repainting. He is unsatified w/ my paint job even w/ four coats and good paint. He wants to hire a professional to repaint and take that out of my deposit. Can I take him to small claims court for that?

Did you have a rental contract/agreement with this person? If you did, what does it specify in the contract concerning your security deposit?

I would suggest taking pictures of your paint job and also asking one or two people who aren't relatives and who really know painting to come and look at your job to witness what it looks like if you do decide to go to small claims court.

If it does turn out that you can sue him, and you do take him to small claims court, then you could also specify in the claim that he would need to pay the court costs as well as giving your security deposit back.

I don't know how much you security deposit was, but around here, the cost to sue someone in small claims court is, I think, about $130.00. So, you would also have to weigh whether it is worth the trouble to take him to court or not.