Full question:
I moved out from my last apartment in November 20th, 2007. Technically I was supposed to give 30 days notice and I did not. I gave them 10 days notice but I asked Manager Assistant if that was going to be a problem since I did not have a contract. My legal contract expired in October of 2007 and since then I was only on month to month basis. She told me that was not going to be a problem. I told her if that would be a problem I could stay another month. When I moved in we agreed upon $150 none-refundable cleaning deposit. Today I found out through my sister whom was my ex-roommate that they had called her from apartment telling her that there are some outstanding charges. I went there today and I was presented to $950 of charges which included: 20 days - Pro-Out $540 Trash out - $250 Cleaning - $75 Shampoo - $100 2 Drip pans - $10 touch up paint -$125 security deposit from holdings ($150) total: $950 I sure did leave behind a little bit of trash and a rocking chair. But nowhere close to $250 of cleaning. She said that she had paid $25 hour to clean up the place. That means 10 hours of labor. No Mexican dude makes $25 an hour and for 10 hours you can strip this place off to the walls. I do not mind paying some of the charges but after my lease expired I did not sign any other lease agreement so I should not be bound by their 30 day notice. Am I right? I would be very grateful for your help. I am from Poland and I came her few years ago to go to school and I do not know that much about the law. But I know enough to know that does not feel right. what kind of legal steps should I take to bring my good name back?
- Category: Landlord Tenant
- Subcategory: Lease Termination
- Date:
- State: National
Answer:
In general, an unwritten rental agreement or a month-to-month agreement requires a brief notice period for termination. In Nevada, if there is no written lease, it is assumed that maintenance and waste removal services are provided at no charge to the tenant, and landlords can only charge for damages beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid rent, or reasonable cleaning costs (NRS 118A.200).
When a tenancy ends, landlords must provide an itemized written accounting of any deductions from the security deposit and return any remaining funds within 30 days (NRS 118A.242). A nonrefundable cleaning fee must be reasonable and cannot waive a tenant's rights under the law.
As a tenant, you are responsible for keeping the premises clean and disposing of waste properly (NRS 118A.310). However, landlords can only recover damages for failure to comply with the rental agreement or for other breaches (NRS 118A.420). You may want to dispute the charges that seem excessive, especially if you believe the cleaning costs are unreasonable.
If you feel your rights are being violated, consider seeking legal advice or assistance to help resolve the situation.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.