Carpet Cleaning
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Purple bold or strikethrough language indicates changes under SB107 (Wis. Act 108). These apply to leases written after 12/21/11 or events that occur after that date, unless otherwise indicated in your lease. Have your lease available when calling the Tenant Resource Center so we can help you know what your rights are.
Red bold or strikethrough language indicates changes under SB466 (Wis. Act 143). These typically apply to leases written after 3/31/12 or events that occur after that date, unless otherwise indicated in your lease. Have your lease available when calling the Tenant Resource Center so we can help you know what your rights are.
The real deal with carpet cleaning
According to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, landlords CANNOT charge for routine carpet cleaning - no matter what. Even if...
- your lease requires that you pay for it when you move out
- your lease states that you must provide a receipt showing that you had the carpets cleaned
- your lease says that you must pay for carpet cleaning when you move in
- your lease says that the cost of carpet cleaning will be deducted from your security deposit
- any of the above rules are listed in a "NONSTANDARD RENTAL PROVISION"
...your landlord still can't legally charge you.
What can I do if the landlord is trying to make me pay for routine carpet cleaning?
- Write a letter to the landlord explaining that they cannot deduct routine cleaning, that there has to be damages that are beyond "normal wear and tear" in order to charge for it. Wis. Stat. 704.28 (3)
the note to state ATCP code 134.06 (3)(c) states that "a landlord may not withhold from tenant's security deposit for routine painting or carpet cleaning, where there is no unusual damage caused by tenant abuse." Madison General Ordinance 32.07(14) forbids withholding for routine carpet cleaning in the City of Madison.
- File a written complaint with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection at 1-800-422-7128 or http://datcp.state.wi.us/core/consumerinfo/cp.
- File a claim in small claims court to recover an illegally withheld security deposit. You may be eligible for two
to three times the amount wrongly withheld.
When can the landlord legally charge for carpet cleaning?
When you damage or abuse the carpet beyond normal wear and tear. For example, the carpet requires treatments to remove severe stains or repair damage caused by you, your guests, or your pets.
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