Renting Question

AEK&BGT

We currently rent and have for the last two years since we moved here.  We just renewed our lease for another year, but I was wondering what does our security deposit cover?  I noticed two small gouges in our kitchen floor (linoleum) will we have to pay to redo the whole floor?  I'm clueless since we've never rented prior to this.  We were the first ppl living here so it's definitely from our wear and tear.  TIA!

BetchySprout

That might come out of your deposit. Is there any way you can fix this yourselves?

AEK&BGT

I looked up how to repair it and it says you have to cut the piece out and replace so that's out of the question. 

BriansTracy

Depending on how big they are, they could probably be considered normal wear and tear and would not be repaired on your expense.

My parents have been landlords for 25 years, and we are about to be landlords.  My parents have never made a tenant pay for the repair of flooring, unless they damaged quite a few things. 

violetvirgo

in my experience realty companies/landlords will use any excuse possible to keep your security deposit, so yes, i'd say that the possibility of them charging you for the whole floor is high. 

 eta:  my renting experience has all been surrounding college apt which may make a difference.

SWMcFarland

The life expectancy of flooring (in a rental) can range from 5-7 years and it has a depriciation each year.  The landlord would have to account for the depriciation in a claim for the floor replacement, meaning you would never be liable for the full replacement cost of the floor.

That said, it sounds like sheet linoleum which is extremely inexpensive.  It is sold by the roll at Home Depot and you could easily replace it yourself. 

punkfiction_v.3

SWMcFarland:

The life expectancy of flooring (in a rental) can range from 5-7 years and it has a depriciation each year.  The landlord would have to account for the depriciation in a claim for the floor replacement, meaning you would never be liable for the full replacement cost of the floor.

That said, it sounds like sheet linoleum which is extremely inexpensive.  It is sold by the roll at Home Depot and you could easily replace it yourself. 

hahaha this is not the case for all rental places. ive had to pay for many floors.

violetvirgo

punkfiction_v.3:

SWMcFarland:

The life expectancy of flooring (in a rental) can range from 5-7 years and it has a depriciation each year.  The landlord would have to account for the depriciation in a claim for the floor replacement, meaning you would never be liable for the full replacement cost of the floor.

That said, it sounds like sheet linoleum which is extremely inexpensive.  It is sold by the roll at Home Depot and you could easily replace it yourself. 

hahaha this is not the case for all rental places. ive had to pay for many floors.

yep.  me as well, but i also learned after my first year in NYC that it was standard practice to not pay your last month's rent and just let the realty company keep the deposit.  ethical?  probably not.  common practice: oh yea.

punkfiction_v.3

violetvirgo:

punkfiction_v.3:

SWMcFarland:

The life expectancy of flooring (in a rental) can range from 5-7 years and it has a depriciation each year.  The landlord would have to account for the depriciation in a claim for the floor replacement, meaning you would never be liable for the full replacement cost of the floor.

That said, it sounds like sheet linoleum which is extremely inexpensive.  It is sold by the roll at Home Depot and you could easily replace it yourself. 

hahaha this is not the case for all rental places. ive had to pay for many floors.

yep.  me as well, but i also learned after my first year in NYC that it was standard practice to not pay your last month's rent and just let the realty company keep the deposit.  ethical?  probably not.  common practice: oh yea.

til they send that to collections. lol

JennDave+1

I am a landlord and as long as the apartments are clean and acceptable when a tenant leaves is my main issues. You have to expect wear and tear. The majority of the security deposits that I have ever kept have been of those tenants that skip out or don't pay rent in that case your damn right I am taking their security deposit.

If you are worried about it I would do as the previous poster said and cut out a square and replace it.

SWMcFarland

punkfiction_v.3:

violetvirgo:

punkfiction_v.3:

SWMcFarland:

The life expectancy of flooring (in a rental) can range from 5-7 years and it has a depriciation each year.  The landlord would have to account for the depriciation in a claim for the floor replacement, meaning you would never be liable for the full replacement cost of the floor.

That said, it sounds like sheet linoleum which is extremely inexpensive.  It is sold by the roll at Home Depot and you could easily replace it yourself. 

hahaha this is not the case for all rental places. ive had to pay for many floors.

yep.  me as well, but i also learned after my first year in NYC that it was standard practice to not pay your last month's rent and just let the realty company keep the deposit.  ethical?  probably not.  common practice: oh yea.

You both could have taken them to court.  I probably would have, but I've been an apartment and commercial landlord since the beginning of college, so I've learned over the years!

til they send that to collections. lol

violetvirgo

punkfiction_v.3:

violetvirgo:

punkfiction_v.3:

SWMcFarland:

The life expectancy of flooring (in a rental) can range from 5-7 years and it has a depriciation each year.  The landlord would have to account for the depriciation in a claim for the floor replacement, meaning you would never be liable for the full replacement cost of the floor.

That said, it sounds like sheet linoleum which is extremely inexpensive.  It is sold by the roll at Home Depot and you could easily replace it yourself. 

hahaha this is not the case for all rental places. ive had to pay for many floors.

yep.  me as well, but i also learned after my first year in NYC that it was standard practice to not pay your last month's rent and just let the realty company keep the deposit.  ethical?  probably not.  common practice: oh yea.

til they send that to collections. lol

i know, right!  i was always scared, but my neighbors would roll their eyes at me.  apparently if it's a realty company they just figure it's more of an expense to track you down and make you pay it.  weird.  i'm still waiting for some of my friends to run a credit report and have like 4 delinquencies on their cred. lol.

SWMcFarland

violetvirgo:

punkfiction_v.3:

violetvirgo:

punkfiction_v.3:

SWMcFarland:

The life expectancy of flooring (in a rental) can range from 5-7 years and it has a depriciation each year.  The landlord would have to account for the depriciation in a claim for the floor replacement, meaning you would never be liable for the full replacement cost of the floor.

That said, it sounds like sheet linoleum which is extremely inexpensive.  It is sold by the roll at Home Depot and you could easily replace it yourself. 

hahaha this is not the case for all rental places. ive had to pay for many floors.

yep.  me as well, but i also learned after my first year in NYC that it was standard practice to not pay your last month's rent and just let the realty company keep the deposit.  ethical?  probably not.  common practice: oh yea.

til they send that to collections. lol

i know, right!  i was always scared, but my neighbors would roll their eyes at me.  apparently if it's a realty company they just figure it's more of an expense to track you down and make you pay it.  weird.  i'm still waiting for some of my friends to run a credit report and have like 4 delinquencies on their cred. lol.

Actually, they probably just give the files to a collection agency.  We did--if they collected, we got a small percentage of what they recovered (like 30%) and they got the rest for doing the collecting work.

So I wouldn't be surprised if your friends do get sent to collections!

violetvirgo

SWMcFarland:

Actually, they probably just give the files to a collection agency.  We did--if they collected, we got a small percentage of what they recovered (like 30%) and they got the rest for doing the collecting work.

So I wouldn't be surprised if your friends do get sent to collections!

i don't know.  it was very 'common knowledge' that renting in nyc was done this way - i had co-workers tell me i was crazy for paying my last month, friends.  i've never heard of anyone going to collections.  not to say it couldn't happen, i've just never heard of anyone having to deal with.  now i want to be nosy and ask some of them

eta:  i wonder how much of it has to do with the high rate of subletting and such???  hm....

ElizC

It really depends on your landlord and the extent of the damage.  Our last place had damage to the new linoleum flooring, they didn't take anything out of our deposit for it.  The rest of the apartment was perfect and just needed paint and carpet cleaning, which they have to do no matter what.

 I also have moved into apartments that already had damage to the linoleum so it isn't like they replace the stuff with a little damage.