What law is this situation breaking?
My school charged me $40 in room damages for the past year. I am almost certain my roommate and I did not do $80 in damages (it was split between my roommate and me). We called the school and, after taking days to respond (the first time, the lady went out for a lunch break that never ended), they refused to disclose what they were charging us for. Since our family is fairly tight on money, I don't want my parents paying the $40. Sure, it may not be that big of a deal, but the school is already corrupt as it is and I don't want them to get away with bull charges. (I wasn't the only one that got them.)
I know there must be a law regarding the right to a disclosure of information upon payment of a fee, but I don't know what it is or where to look. I have no way of getting to a town hall (roommate's idea of where to go) at this time, so I figured I'd try here.
Thanks!
Answers:
Mr. "towel 42", how can we expect us to advise you on the law if you don't tell us what State you go to school in?
There is a federal rule called "FAFSA" which applies to all schools which accept federal money, but it only applies to educational records.
Generally speaking, there are laws relating to renters and tenents' rights which would require the school (as a renter) to give you their billing records on request. In any case, if you decide that you think you're being defrauded, you could always simply take the school to small claims court, and subpoena the records, in which case the court would order the school to produce the records.
Prior to paying any penalties, you have the right to see (in picture) or to have described the damages caused.
I will warn you however, if it is as simple as pin hole in a wall (like where a poster hung up) they can charge you what it would cost to hire a contractor, painter and carpenter, and can cost much more than your $40 that they are asking.
So be careful if you open the can of worms, you may not like the outcome.
They are required to give you a reciept for labor, supplies, ETC that they had to purchase to repair what ever damage you did. If they dont then you do not have to pay. That can be found in the tennant/landlord agreement on your states books. It is alittle different in each state but that part of the law provides for all 50 states. This includes when they want to keep a deposit. And yes schools are your landlord while they are renting housing to you.
yea, go to the plant operations or whatever it is called and ask to see the inspection sheet
You can ask them for an itemized list of everything that they're trying to charge you for. You can contest it if and when they give you that information, but colleges are quick to send stuff like that to collections and get you in for way more than you started out owing, so stalling might not be worth it.
But get used to it -- crap like this is one of the many, many ways that college prepares you for the real world. In this case, be glad the lesson in shadiness only cost you $40.
If the school is apparently corrupt, change schools.
Let them take you to court. Being a landlord myself I know that they can't just grab an amount out of thin air. And be sure that you take your current invoice. They cannot up it just because they get pissed. BUT, they might be able to stick you with court costs. You are entitled to be given an invoice to show what the money was used for. The law allows for normal wear and operating expense involved with tenants. Paint and such is deemed a landlord's cost of doing business, in most states. By all means, DEMAND an invoice, before letting them sue you!!
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