Are you a Jewish brother? If so, the local UT Hillel chapter can help you out with free legal advice. If you are not Jewish, maybe borrow a yarmulke and pick up a pocket guide to Yiddish on the next visit to the bookstore.
What?! Is the landlord eavesdropping on you? Maybe there are hidden cameras in your place. This sounds shady to me. I would go back to him and flat out say, you have no proof I had more than 8 people staying at my place at once. Force him to present you with some evidence so then you'll know where you stand and can decide how to handle it. Pugs
that landlord is a prick but would be a nice way to get some extra cash just for kicks. Is this a common thing for apartments? We have had more than 8 people in our apartment a few times already
Does your lease specifically say you are limited to 8 people? If so, does it say he can invoke a $1000 fine if you have more than 8 people in your apartment? If so, did you have more than 8 people staying in your apartment? If so, what is there to fight?
Honestly I don't think it's really a party thing, it's a fire code thing. Think about it, if you have eight people in one place at the same time it's a fire code risk. However, unless the guy has concrete proof that he knew there were more than 8 people in that place at once you can fight it. I would.
Exactly how many friends and family did you have staying there, how long were they there, and how did the land lord find out? Five people in one apartment is already a tight fit for most apartments, and going to 9+ for more than a day or so would be pretty noticeable for neighbors who may have complained. Especially if there are multiple extra cars for these friends and family members parked outside for several days and they regularly see these people coming and going. Even if you weren't having a party, I can imagine 9+ people getting pretty loud at times. If a neighbor complains to the landlord and he comes to investigate and he personally finds 16+ people staying at your place who have been there for a week you are going to have an uphill battle fighting it and it comes across as a lot less sympathetic, than if you had 9 people there for one night and the land lord has no proof and didn't come to witness it himself for example.
Try talking to him reasonably. If he has PROOF that you had more than 8 people, then tell him it wasn't a party, no one was being rowdy, and that it was just family stopping over for the afternoon. When does your lease end? If it's soon, just don't pay and move out. He has to get a lawyer if he wants that grand. My old roommate turned off our heat over winter break in Colorado. Pipe broke and flooded the downstairs, fire dept had to come out. The landlord wanted $8k. We never paid and continued to get bills for years. He never got a lawyer to take us to court, so 2 years later we were free. Depending on your landlord, he may or maynot get a lawyer for $1k. Seems like a lot of work for little payoff.
The landlord could have the OP's security deposit which he can keep at the end of the lease and then the ball might have to be in the OP's court to get the money back.
I'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned this because I'd rather state my opinion without reading if it has already been covered, but... Does he have proof that there were 8 people in the apartment?????
That is completely not true. 1. Can argue that there were not 8 people there. 2. Can argue that it wasn't a 'party.' 3. Can argue that the clause is unreasonable and unenforceable. 4. Can refrain from arguing or paying and dare the landlord to escalate. 5. Can post name of apartment complex here and trash its reputation on the internet in hopes of achieving some small measure of revenge.
