Q I sent money to a rental listing on Craigslist in Crystal. I felt that I did my research by checking the property listing with Hennepin County, checking Facebook to verify the lister and meeting the neighbors, who spoke highly of the landlord. The person I thought was the landlord e-mailed me pictures of him and his wife. It turns out that the pictures were actually of his father.
I have been taken for $2,800. I don't have much money and don't know what to do. If I file with the courts and the person was pretending to be the landlord, then what do I do? I really need help.
A You should file a police report on the crime that was committed. You might be able to get your money back if the police can find the scammer by questioning his father or locating him another way.
You also should file a complaint with the Minnesota attorney general's office, because Craigslist is a business and the scam needs to be stopped. The attorney general works with the police department to stop such business scams and fraud.
You also should ask the police what to do if the scammer has your personal information, such as a bank account number or Social Security number.
Finally, you might want to tell the actual landlord, unless the police is going to inform the landlord, of the scam going on involving his property. Many times these scams involve someone who is familiar with the property, so the landlord might know the perpetrator and might be able to help you or the police locate them.
Rug stain is on tenantQ Two years ago we moved into a new apartment building and laid a rug down in our laundry room to protect the floor. Upon moving out this week, we removed the rug and noticed that it left a stain on the floor. Is my landlord able to make me pay for the replacement of that floor? The floor is not damaged, but it looks ugly.
A Unfortunately, Minnesota Statute 504B.178 is set up to protect the property, even if you unintentionally damaged it. The landlord may deduct for necessary repairs after ordinary wear and tear.
You might consider having someone familiar with floor repair give you an estimate to fix it before you return your keys to the landlord.
Strife over broken tableQ I have been living in my duplex for more than six years. I have a wrought-iron bar table with a marble top in the back yard. The lawn service that mows the lawn has complained about it in the past.
A few weeks ago, I found the table top was broken. The lawn service said that its mowers had broken my table but that they had told my landlord that they could not be responsible for it. However, nobody said anything to me about it.
My landlord sided with the lawn service. He said, "Did you ask me if you could put it in the back yard?" He said I could put a table out there that was more lightweight.
Is the lawn service responsible for replacing or fixing my table? Does the landlord have the right to tell me what type of furniture I can put in the back yard of my rental property?
A Typically, the landlord is responsible for any of the tenant's furniture broken by the landlord or someone in his control, such as a lawn service. Since the lawn service is most likely responsible for the repair, you should draft a letter to the lawn service, including an estimate, and request that the company cover repair or replacement.
Your landlord does have the right to inform you of "problem furniture" that affects his lawn service's ability to do its job. But absent written notice, it is difficult for the mowers to avoid liability.
Kelly Klein is a Minneapolis attorney. Participation in this column does not create an attorney/client relationship with Klein. Do not rely on advice in this column for legal opinions. Consult an attorney regarding your particular issues. E-mail renting questions to kklein@kleinpa.com, or write to Kelly Klein c/o Star Tribune, 425 Portland Av. S., Minneapolis, MN 55488. Information provided by readers is not confidential.
