Can Landlord Charge For Carpet Cleaning California

Your landlord cannot legally deduct from your security deposit even if.

Can landlord charge for carpet cleaning california.

If the carpet cleaning does not exceed a professional cleaner s normal rate and the carpet doesn t have any actual damage landlords should not charge a tenant for dirty carpets. Can landlord charge for carpet cleaning. This action allowed by security deposit laws is generally called a wrongful withholding of security deposit or a wrongful retention of security deposit lawsuit. In california for example the landlord must provide receipts for any repairs or cleaning over 126.

A landlord cannot charge for routine cleaning. I am under the impression that california law does not require the tenant to clean the carpets clean. A landlord can charge for cleaning if the carpet is excessively dirty and or damaged. In other words landlords bear the cost of the routine carpet cleaning when a tenant moves out.

For example carpeting has a useful life of 10 years. Also the lease agreement may stipulate that the tenants handle the carpet cleaning before they vacate the property. If the carpet originally cost 1 000 and had a life expectancy of 10 years the depreciation charge would be 100 per year. Depending on the age of the appliance or carpet the landlord must pro rate the cost against the average life of the appliance or carpet.

The amount that a landlord can charge for cleaning a unit depends on the state the unit was rented out in the state the unit was returned in and the general rules of wear and tear. Also normal wear and tear to carpets drapes and other furnishings cannot be charged against a tenant s security deposit normal wear and tear includes simple wearing down of carpet. There is no legal reason to single out the. If a landlord can dictate the method of cleaning the carpet then they can dictate the manner that any other part of or the whole premises is cleaned.

The real deal with carpet cleaning. Published 4 00 am pdt sunday. According to the department of agriculture trade and consumer protection landlords cannot charge for routine carpet cleaning during the lease or from a security deposit no matter what your lease says.