Changed my mind about small claims court after a landlord dispute in Austin

I used to think small claims was a waste of time for anything under $5k. Then my old landlord kept my $1,200 deposit for 'carpet cleaning' even though we had photos showing it was fine. I filed a claim for the max in Texas ($10k just to be safe) and the clerk actually helped me fill out the forms. The landlord folded as soon as he got served and paid me back plus court costs. Now I tell everyone it's worth it if you have paperwork. Has anyone else had a small claims case actually go to trial?

2 comments

2 Comments

gavin_kim325d ago

Saw a guy take his neighbor to court over a lemon tree once.

margaretrivera25d ago

That extra thousand dollars seems like overkill for a carpet cleaning dispute.

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