Vent: My landlord tried to keep my security deposit over a normal wear and tear issue

I moved out of my apartment in Lincoln Park last month and the landlord is claiming $800 for carpet wear that was already worn when I moved in. Has anyone had luck fighting these claims through Chicago's tenant laws?

3 comments

3 Comments

emmaking3d ago

lmao landlords really think we don't know our own rights huh. $800 for carpet that was already looking rough when you moved in? that's a bold move on their part. Chicago law says they gotta send you an itemized list of damages with receipts or estimates, not just pull a number out of thin air like they're pricing magic beans. if you didn't sign anything saying the carpet was brand new on move in day, they're basically just hoping you'll roll over and pay. take em to small claims court and watch them scramble when you show your move in photos. their faces when the judge asks for proof of pre existing damage lmao. fight that nonsense with everything you got.

wells.christopher4d ago

Fight it. Landlords in Chicago have to prove actual damage, not just wear and tear.

emery103d ago

My buddy actually went through this last year with a landlord on the north side. He had a water spot on the ceiling that was clearly there before he moved in, and the landlord tried to take $400 from his deposit. He fought it and sent in photos from his move-in inspection, and the landlord folded after a week. Another tenant in his building had the same issue with carpet stains that were obviously normal wear and tear after 3 years of walking on them. Chicago's landlord tenant ordinance is pretty clear that they have to itemize everything and prove it wasn't your fault, so it's worth pushing back.