Author Topic: How to determine whether to deduct something from security deposit  (Read 992 times)

argentstache

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Hi all,
We had tenants in our home the last three years while we were living abroad. They took great care of the house, and all in all, we were super happy with them. We just moved back in over the weekend and the dryer is not working. It works for a bit, and then stops. I have a hard time believing just started  doing this with the first load of laundry that I did, but I haven't yet discussed it with them. I will do so very soon, but I thought I'd check in here for thoughts and advice. The question is whether to deduct the repair costs for the dryer from the security deposit or not. Just a bit more color: these are friends of friends and we gave them a below market rent for the past three years.

Ocinfo

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Re: How to determine whether to deduct something from security deposit
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2019, 04:57:55 PM »
No, absolutely not. Appliances break; not a tenant’s issue unless they were using it in ways that weren’t appropriate. Security deposits are for damages from negligence, not what sounds like normal wear and tear. Even in cases of negligence, if the useful life of the item is exceeded then you typically can’t charge replacement price. For example, a tenant moves in and lives there for 3 years. The carpet was 5 years old when they moved in. Even if they stain the carpet it was already 8 years old and had little or no remaining value.


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FIPurpose

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Re: How to determine whether to deduct something from security deposit
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2019, 05:02:45 PM »
Don't charge. Unless they purposefully broke it, using the dryer was part of the lease and there for is part of your responsibility to keep functional.

waltworks

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Re: How to determine whether to deduct something from security deposit
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2019, 10:06:48 PM »
I find it a bit humorous that you are even asking this question. What would you have done if they had lived there for 20 years and when you moved in the roof needed replacing and the house needed painting?

-W

argentstache

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Re: How to determine whether to deduct something from security deposit
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2019, 04:31:20 AM »
OK. Thanks all. Appreciate it.

Seadog

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Re: How to determine whether to deduct something from security deposit
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2019, 08:02:06 AM »
I see more and more of these sorts of "ideas" for revenue generation as returns particularly in Canada get worse and worse.

It seems like everyone and their dog is a landlord now, and basic questions (like who pays for appliance replacement or plumbing repairs) on this forum and others are common place. Unfortunately I had a landlord who lamented what a poor investment their condo was and took the lions share of my DD for a stainless steel fridge that a can dropped on causing a 1/8th inch dent on the horizontal ridge of the freezer drawer. Basically said the panel had to be special ordered, from far away, and then they had to get a guy out to replace it - said it was no different than if I took a hammer to the panel - a bit of hyperbole I thought. The sort of thing that would knock $50 off at a scratch and dent sale, on a 5 year old fridge, ended up costing me $800. About what the fridge was worth, so I doubt it was ever replaced. It certainly didn't turn it from a $800 fridge into an $1600 one. Sadly I left town the day after, so it was two weeks until I got my cheque less whatever they figured, so couldn't even really fight them from 5000km away or go to the tenancy board.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!