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I just got screwed out of $1185.00 of my deposit from my previous apartment here in LA. When I took the place, I had to pay 1.5 times the deposit to get it, due to my credit rating which had been adversely affected the week before thanks to my student loan company dropping the entire debt load of my loan on it, not just the $2000.00 I was in arrears for.

One and half times the rent of $1145.000 was $1717.50. They deducted the following from what they call $1700.00; to clean the carpet, which I will actually give them, even though it was used when I got it, was $195.00. To paint the place, which was only 450 sq. ft., and I never touched the walls, let alone drove a nail into them, was $795.00, and then they charged $195.00 to clean the place after I spent over 6 hours doing the same and leaving it in better condition than I had rented it in.

Here’s the thing. Halco Management, Inc., who ran my place are greedy and will do anything to bilk you, even though they didn’t fix my toilet for 8 months and the fact that the elevator broke down a lot and until recently hadn’t been inspected since 2005. I took pictures when I moved in and should have when I left, but you hate to think the worst of people, but in this case, that is the truth. Will do what I can to get it back, but the likelihood is nill to none. Also tried to get a walk through after I was done cleaning it, but waited for 2.5 hours and the property manager didn’t show. I’m pretty sure they have to tell you what you’re liable for in order to take, but we shall see.

Angry now in a way I haven’t been for a long time. I actually needed the money to pay my bills, and will as usual take my lumps with hard swallowed indignation, and move on, assured again that humanity has too many weak points to survive.

UPDATE: Just found the California Landlord/ Tenant laws. California Civil Code 1950.5 found here http://tinyurl.com/3me43r. I may not win, but by God I will fight until I have nothing more to lose. Oh wait, I have nothing to lose, because I have nothing. Worst case scenario, everyone in the building will get the overview of my trials and a copy of the CA Civil Code.

When I moved out of my apartment in Knoxville to move here, I asked the property manager when they wanted to schedule a walk through, and she looked at me like a mother looking at a child who has just said the silliest thing and said, "Oh, don't worry about it. It won't be a problem," and it wasn't.