Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Virginia

Im renting, carpet was put in wrong, now Im supposed to pay?

When I moved into my apartment the owners had a poor business put in .69 cent a ft carpet and it was put in completely wrong, not seamed right and such. The carpenters left the seams un touched in the doorways and they told us to just vacuum over it and it would be fine. One night my mother was over helping me clean for a family function and at the time I almost cut my finger off and she left the vacuum running over one of the seams, the vacuum sucked up pieces of the carpet, burned up the vacuum, and left the carpet in the doorway torn up. We notifed the owners the next day, one of them came out and had the carpet people come out and lay down metal strips over ever seam in the house but did not fix the carpet. The owner fought with the carpet company about it not being put in right but they never came and replaced the carpet. Now Im moving out because the owners will not fix the house (ie. light fixtures handing from the walls, broken windows, etc. all of which have been that way since before i moved in), and they want me to pay for the carpet. Which I am refusing to do because it was installed incorectly and against the advice of a professional carpenter. Is there anything I can do? Any help is greatly appreciated!!


Asked on 8/08/08, 1:13 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Re: Im renting, carpet was put in wrong, now Im supposed to pay?

You will undoubtedly be found responsible for the damage to the carpet since by your own admission, apparently, your "vacuum sucked up pieces of the carpet, burned up the vacuum, and left the carpet in the doorway torn up". And, whether this particular carpet "was installed incorectly (sic) and against the advise of a professional carpenter", in my opinion is irrelevant.

Furthermore, if you attmept to prematurely vacate the premises without the permission of the landlord and before the lease is up, you will also owe the remaining balance of the rent due under this lease agreement.

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Answered on 8/09/08, 7:13 am


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