Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

Hi, I live in California and I'm looking for information to sue our old property manager. We lived in a house that was uninhabitable for 10 months until we demanded we be let out of the contract. When we were finally let out we prorated the days it took us to move because they insisted and we left the house spotless on Deceber 21st. We are still waiting for our deposit plus other funds. We have had to deal with situations where they asked us to write out 1 check then called us back for another amount because they made a mistake and were going to void the first check but instead cashed both and immediately sent our account into overdraft. When we went to speak to them they lied and were hiding in the back until the Broker came and reprimanded the ladies in front of us. This has been handled so unprofessional. We lived with extra furniture in the house that was supposed to be removed. Broken oven, microwave, refrigerator (that almost caught fire), dishwasher, leaky roof, broken screens, and the list goes on. We were asked to do our own walk through checklist because once they took our deposit they no longer had time but they said to turn it in and they would send someone out immediately to take care of it. They never did. I need advice on what type of lawyer to hire and how much I can sue for. Thank you.


Asked on 1/19/17, 10:09 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Bryan Whipple Bryan R. R. Whipple, Attorney at Law

You might want to consider taking your case to Small Claims Court; it's quicker and can be more economical if your claim is somewhere within the small-claims limits plus fees you'd save. I suggest buying one or two of the paperback books covering California small-claims actions and see if this is perhaps a better approach for you.

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Answered on 1/19/17, 10:26 am


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