Deceptive, unethical and illegal--illegally kills protected birds
After four years and three months, the move-out was a disaster, fraught with lies, deception, and missteps like I've never seen. I just filed a lawsuit. They missed their deadline for either giving my deposit back or providing a timely, accurate, legal, provable deduction statement. The deadline was 8/1. Once I sent a demand letter on 8/4, offering to settle for $3K, they responded with a LAUGHABLE "CYA" email, completely missing the fact that they missed a STATUTORY deadline. The state doesn't play. They owe me treble damages, plus $100. I gave them until 2p today, 8/7 to pay that and avoid court costs and attorney fees. They ignored it. The law is very clear. M in the front office told me on 7/27 (I moved on 7/2) that they smelled smoke in the unit, and that the kitchen cabinets were discolored, as were the vanity cabinets in the primary bath. Mind you, it must be magic smoke. It completely avoided the other two bathrooms AND the other cabinet in the primary. Logic is not employed. Nor physics, apparently.
"M" invited me up to see the damage on 7/27. I guess my poker face worked, because I nearly laughed in her face. "See, the cabinet (right in front of a huge window) is discolored!!" Ummm, but that one isn't? While I was there, I went out back to visit the little swallow family that nested in the eaves of my old patio. The nest had been there two years. I watched multiple clutches, including the one just hatched when I left. I was heartbroken and furious. I told M that the removal of that nest was illegal in both state and federal, and I would have to report them. I did. I have thousands of pictures and video. She flippantly told me, she didn't know anything about it, but was sure if it was removed, it was legal. It's not. It's now part of the legal filing.
I'm employing an attorney on Monday. Not required; there is no wiggle room on the 30-day required close-out of a tenant's deposit. But I will let a professional handle it, and they will have to pay for it. I have ALL the ridiculous (I mean...I've lost IQ points reading the lack of logic, physics, legalese that makes no sense, etc.)
In short, it was fine while I was there, except they couldn't reliably keep the water flowing. 51 months and approximately $150K in rent (3 BR), they decided they wanted to screw me. They picked the wrong woman. They now owe me over $4500 and I'll do what I can to protect the birds.