Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California
I own a small commercial property that I inherited after my uncles death, 1 unit was rented on a month to month by a beauty salon. She just vacated after giving a 30 day notice, but when she left she took 2 sinks off the walls, leaving the pipes hanging and exposed.
She claims that :
1. since she bought them she can take them
2. they are "trade fixtures" so she can take them.
One was a utility sink while the other was a sink to wash hair.
The lease does not define these sinks as she was in tenancy when my uncle bought the property, however they were bolted to the walls, can I deduct the cost of replacement or repair from her deposit?
1 Answer from Attorneys
I think so. These sinks are fixtures and she should have left them there or at least asked for your agreement before removing them.