another fool wrote:

> Declan Murphy <declan_murphy@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<40B73B53.6020901@hotmail.com>...
> 
>><devil's advocate mode ON>
>>Equally politely, I don't see the relevance here. Discoloration due to 
>>"Rain falling sometimes in from the balcony" means that the renter 
>>failed to look after the apartment as most probably stipulated in the 
>>contract. The shikikin is not intended to be a fully refundable deposit, 
> 
> I was trying to avoid the whole "the other option is someone left
> thier patio door open in a rainstorm and got water in the apartment." 
> At least hoping that's not what happened.  Our wood floors are cheap
> as hell.  The living area floor is all pushed in (not scratched or
> gouged out - but there are definite grooves in it) from where our
> furnature moves around (especially the chairs on the dining table),
> and the wife installed the little coaster things under all the legs to
> try to keep that from happening back when we first moved in.  I've had
> to relevel the fridge 2x now - the first time after we'd been in the
> house <2 weeks because the floor in the kitchen is MUSHY (probably
> just old but who knows).

In that case (and since the flooring was cheap, its a house and the cat 
was OK) then I'd first take the itemised bill to your guarantor first 
and ask for their opinion and advice. FWIW though, I've only managed to 
obtain a full refund on a deposit once out of five moves so far.

Regards Declan,
Okazaki, Japan


-- 
"Oh don't give me none more of that Old Janx Spirit/ No, don't you give 
me none more of that Old Janx Spirit/ For my head will fly, my tongue 
will lie, my eyes will fry and I may die/ Won't you pour me one more of 
that sinful Old Janx Spirit"