[tinykate]

I have a issue with the former landlord.

I live in California, and rented one bed room for 10 month. The apartment was 30 years old.
Last month, I noticed the water in my shower started leaking from the wall. I called the landlord immediately.
After the landlord checked the shower, he brought me a 30 days move -out notice.
According to the landlord, the water was leaking inside the wall;therefore, it will take a few month to repair.
He said hanging a shower caddy on the shower head might cause this damage, but he was not sure.
He requested me to leave as soon as possible. At this time, he told me he'd refund my deposit.
When I moved out I cleaned the room as much as I could. I lived here for 10 months.

20 days later, I received the written letter stating he won't refund any deposit.
The letter showed total $700 itemized deduction which were including general cleaning fee and repairing cost of the water leak in shower.
He didn't provided any receipts of work, nor the reason of water leak in shower.

I really don't know the reason of water leak. The house is 30 years old, so the pipe got aged too.

Moreover, the landlord didn't tell me to have initial inspection before I moved out.(I didn't know this right until yesterday.)
I cleaned the room, but didn't take photos.
In CA, the landlords can evict tenant with 30 days notice regardless reason.( on Month to Month agreement)
However, I don't think it is correct to use my security deposit to repair the damage which causes is unknown.

[excon]

Hello t:

California is very tenant friendly. We have your landlord tenant law at the top of the real estate page on a sticky note. Without reading it, I recall that California requires the landlord to send the deposit OR an accounting of where the deposit was spent along with receipts within 21 days of the end of the tenancy. If he doesn't do this, I believe you can get double or maybe triple your deposit back... You're going to have to sue him in small claims court, though...

Go read what the law is, and if I'm wrong, then I am... But, I'm not.

excon

[Fr_Chuck]

Yes, sue for the deposit back, they will have to show proof that you caused this also.