Texas Renter Says They’re Being Charged $1500 for Roaches & Broken Appliances They Aren’t Responsible For
People frequently turn to Reddit when they need advice on things both big and small, which is why it makes sense that one Texas renter turned to the online forum to get some help on a problem they were having with their apartment move-out.
According to the post from Redditor Parking-Educator2034, they were charged more than $1,500 by their apartment complex, which claimed it needed to replace the refrigerator and stove. The post went on to say that the apartment complex also tacked on a fee for a roach treatment, which the OP says they reported several times while they still lived there.
“My issue is mainly with the refrigerator, stove, cleaning, and roach-treatment charges,” the OP wrote in a lengthy post breaking down each charge. “Both the refrigerator and stove were working when I moved out. As far as I know, they were not broken or mechanically damaged.” And when it comes to the roaches, well, the OP says that the complex was already aware that this was an issue.
The OP wrote that they were looking for advice and wanted to know if all of the charges were actually their responsibility under Texas law. People had a lot to say in the comments, both about the company the OP rented from and what resources they should reach out to for help.
The OP’s Itemized List Included $1,503.78 Worth of Fees
Texas tenant charged $1,500+ after move-out for fridge/stove replacement and roach treatment — appliances were working, and roaches were reported repeatedly
by
u/Parking-Educator2034 in
askaustin
It looks like there were a few items on the list that the OP was being charged for, including a $150 heavy clean, a $749 refrigerator, a $575 stove, a $250 roach treatment, and a $279.78 final utility fee. All of that was minus a $500 security deposit, which is how the OP says they ended up at the $1,503.78 figure.
“I asked management to explain the damage and provide supporting documentation,” they wrote, noting that they contacted the complex six times throughout their lease to complain about the roach situation.
People Were Quick to Pile on the OP’s Property Management Company
It would appear the OP came to the right place, since multiple people complained about the complex and the management company, saying that both have done this in the past. “You should absolutely dispute it,” one person wrote.
Others offered more concrete steps. “Contact the Austin Tenants Council and see if they can help,” another person wrote. “Do you have documentation of your repeated requests for pest treatment?” Meanwhile, another person suggested the OP get a lawyer, accusing the complex of using the OP to fund the apartment’s renovation.
