Landlord deducted arbitrary amount from security deposit
2 years ago
I was living in a fully furnished rented 1bhk flat in Dahisar Mumbai with Rs 17.5k rent and Rs 80k security deposit. I have vacated the flat but my landlady has deducted arbitrary amounts in name of appliances repair and deep cleaning etc as I didn't agree to renew rental agreement with 10 percent rent hike and chose to move out.
1. She has charged Rs 3500 for deep cleaning even though she handed over flat in simple decent state with dust cobwebs at multiple places. It was pest infested and I had to get pest control twice just to start living there.
2. Washing machine was ages old and faulty/leaked water so I used my personal yet now she is charging me it's repair. I have proof of it being falty already as I had to book a plumber for repair but chose to instead use mine as repair cost was high.
3. On multiple occasions she asked me to courier her posts arriving at the flat. On those I incurred courier charges which she is unwilling to pay.
4. She had deducted money for TV screen display replacement even though I never used TV. For all I know it could have simply been repaired.
I asked her to get a professional assessment of cause of issues done and was willing to share assessment cost but she didn't agree. She hasn't provided any invoice. I had to incur expenses on plumber and electrician immediately on moving in as there were multiple issues with flat and she hasn't accounted for any of those despite me having provided invoices. Throughout the year she kept making unannounced visits and caused much mental stress and even now turns deaf ear and not returning money.
You should not have delivered vacant possession of such property. It being a small amount you cannot recover through court has it is expensive and time consuming.
For such a small amount you cannot fight in the Court of Law. Alternatively you may put pamphlets around that house and prevent any new tenant to take that house on rent and thus your land lord may refund your amount which was illegally deducted.
As per the facts which have been provided, you can send a legal notice to your problems and if nothing is done then can later file a suit in the Court.
Hope this clarifies your query and requirement.
Thank you.
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