Landlord tried to charge me $300 for carpet cleaning I did myself

My old landlord in Austin tried to bill me $300 for professional carpet cleaning after I moved out, even though I had receipts showing I rented a Rug Doctor and did it myself for $35. I used to just pay whatever they asked, but now I take time-stamped photos before and after any cleaning or repairs. Anybody else deal with landlords trying to double charge for work you already did?

2 comments

2 Comments

iris_green847d ago

Wait, they tried to charge you for professional cleaning even after you showed them the Rug Doctor receipt? That is some bold faced stuff right there.

kim.wren7d ago

Oh man, that is such a classic landlord move and it drives me absolutely nuts. I had a similar thing happen where I painted a whole bedroom myself (with the landlord's permission even) and they still tried to bill me for "painting services" when I moved out. The receipts and time-stamped photos are a lifesaver though, seriously. It's like they hope you'll just pay up without questioning it, especially if you're young or a first time renter. Good on you for pushing back on that $300 nonsense, especially when you have proof you did the work yourself.