Post # 1
Member
43 posts
Newbee
I know I have a case against my ex-landlord & he owes me around $1k. Unfortunately, this happened over a year ago. It was a few weeks before I got married, I was stressed & couldn’t deal with it. Then I moved twice & lost the papers (proof he owes me money). I was cleaning & recently found them but its been so long. I also don’t have the money for a lawyer or anything like that. & he’s a lawyer so I’ve been very intimidated.
Basically I want to know if since its been a year & 3 months, is there anything I can do? & who do I contact? Our courthouse is huge, I have NO idea what room to even go to :(.
Post # 3
Member
3182 posts
Sugar bee
Here is the list of statutes of limitations if that helps. Is it a contract dispute? Looks like you have 6 years for those. If it’s under the landlord tenant act it looks like it’s only a year (but that’s based on a quick google search)
http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/012.html – general statute of limitations
http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/090.html – Oregoan Landlord Tenant act
Post # 4
Member
3182 posts
Sugar bee
Also . . . it looks like small claims court might be an option. I took a former roommate to small claims court, it seems less intimindating. Here’s some info on that
http://www.osbar.org/public/pamphlets/smallclaims.html
Post # 5
Member
654 posts
Busy bee
I would also recommend small claims court. My college roommate and I had to take our 3rd roommate to court for moving out and not paying rent. It was relatively painless.
Post # 6
Member
43 posts
Newbee
Thank you VERY much!!
Some of the things that happened are:
1. He never paid me back my pro-rated rent. He LIED when I moved out & said he doesn’t pro-rate rent, but I just found my old lease & it says he does!
2. He charged me around $100 for cutting the grass that grew 3 weeks after I moved out (including the neighboring lot we didn’t rent).
3. He said “I don’t remember if that was there or not” & charged me cause he didn’t remember even though I told him how it was & had proof (video & photos).
4. The co-owner of house (landlord’s brother) told me it was okay to leave something then I was charged for it.
5. Landlord let our ex-roomie live there rent free (he wasn’t on lease) AFTER we moved out & then charged his bills to me.
I don’t expect you to answer all of those, but generally are those the 1 year or the 6 year ones? Or does small claims cover everything & I should just do that?
Or is there any free legal advice anywhere local to me?
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