Tenant Alleges Landlord Took $1,700 Out of Her $3,000 Deposit; Many Seem to Side with the Landlord
In a recent TikTok video that has garnered attention, a tenant, @Nicoleelizaaraujo documented a confrontation with her landlord, Ben over deductions made from her security deposit. Nicole alleges that Ben took $1,700 out of her $3,000 deposit, sparking debate over landlord-tenant disputes. In the footage, Ben defended his decision, citing the condition of the apartment upon Nicole's departure.
However, Nicole countered, disputing the claims and asserting that her previous experiences with Ben's properties contradict his assertions. Among the charges contested by Nicole were $1,000 for painting and $350 for new shower curtains, which she deemed excessive. The video has reignited discussions surrounding tenant rights and landlord responsibilities, shedding light on the often contentious nature of rental agreements.
One user@hutch.421 said, "No Ben, it’s just not true, because ya know it’s just false." Meanwhile, another user, @AmbitousAsARider commented, "100% believe the landlord. Condescending tone while he just sat there listening to your yammering makes this even more hilarious." On the other hand, @Michael Reese expressed, "Didn’t expect to be on team landlord ngl." Another user, @Vice City Sports chimed in, "I'm not no landlord but I believe this guy. If you received the property in that condition, why give 3K in security deposit?" Meanwhile, @nmag_20 added, "Landlord sounds so much smarter and knows what he's talking about, you trying to explain to him is hurting my brain."
Here's a look at the video.
Nicole shared a subsequent video revealing the photographs she captured before moving into the apartment.
@opalnea When the rich robs the poor! Part 2 (photos of before and after) Stay tuned for parts 3, 4, 5(?) for rest of my convo with Ben and how I took them to small claims court. #housingcrisis ♬ original sound - Nicoleelizaaraujo
Here's additional footage from her interaction with the landlord.
@opalnea Part 3. Sorry for the late post, some of the harassment I was getting from people was getting to be a lot so I took a short break from Tiktok. Despite the hateful comments, I still feel compelled to finish posting the highlights from my conversation with Ben and my process of taking him to court because I think its a conversation we need to be having. A lot of people are experiencing the enormous power imbalance between renters and landlords and we have the right to publicly discuss our experiences. If this pushes you to feel so much anger that you need to attack us, maybe ask yourself what it is that you feel is being threatened? #housingcrisis ♬ original sound - Nicoleelizaaraujo
And then she uploaded another video discussing her plans to take legal action against Ben.
@opalnea How I took my landlord to small claims court after he took $1760 from my $3000 security deposit #housingcrisis ♬ original sound - Nicoleelizaaraujo
One user @Dawn Marie said, "I'm TEAM LANDLORD here. Sorry, but you need before & after pics! I would never move into an apartment paying $3k security with broken stuff." Meanwhile, @Landon Simmons pondered, "My question is if she noticed these problems before moving in, why is she just now bringing it to his attention?" On a different note, @Mr relatable commented, "Landlord won this one." @Patty Mayonnaise offered a solution, "You can ask for an itemized receipt." @Nicoleelizaaraujo responded, "Yes that’s what I’m holding in my hand. The thing is, he did spend $3k in renovations to the apartment. But what I’m saying is that I didn’t cause the damage." In contrast, @ZG opined, "The tenant actually sounds like she’s in the wrong here. Other than the $1000 for painting." Similarly, @lindseytraceyy chimed in, "Yeah the landlord has my vote." @Millard Fillmore shared a personal experience, "Had a landlord in California wrongfully take an entire $6,800 deposit, we took him to small claims and won the max amount of $10,000 plus fees." @Nicoleelizaaraujo expressed appreciation, "That’s so amazing."
On another perspective, @xxx argued, "That's all wear and tear. He can't charge for any of that. It's the cost of being a landlord." Meanwhile, @dutysuper questioned, "What landlord doesn’t have a walk-through on day one? I’m completely on the landlord's side." One user said @ytvfyjb, "I just don’t pay my last month's rent and let them keep the deposit. Haha." Meanwhile, @jac remarked, "He should have kept your whole deposit for everything you just listed." @Kristena asked, "You didn’t do a move-in and move-out check sheet?" @Nicoleelizaaraujo responded, "Sadly I did not. But I did have pictures. Will show in next videos." @brecken expressed, "I believe the landlord." @Wake up America 🇺🇸 advised, "Always take pictures on move-in day and move-out." @shayne concluded, "Ya you're definitely in the wrong here."