I am currently residing in Japan and am facing some disputes with my previous landlord. I would appreciate your advice on how to proceed and make the best decision.
I lived in a 32m² unit of an individual house in Tokyo, which consists of three units (with a total building area of 128m²). The entire building is valued at 800,000 yen. I resided there for about two years and moved out at the end of April, approximately four months ago. Before moving out, the landlord conducted a brief inspection and assured me that everything was fine.
However, after I moved out, the landlord contacted my guarantor (as the rental agreement is with my company) and claimed that I had damaged the floor, demanding that I cover the repair costs. My company advised me to resolve this issue, so I contacted the landlord, and he asked me to visit him (he resides in another unit of the same house).
In reality, the floor wasn't damaged; there was only a small area where the paint had peeled off the wooden floor. I reviewed the tenant-landlord dispute law before meeting with him, and it clearly states that the entire wooden floor can only be replaced if there are multiple areas of damage. Otherwise, the cost should be calculated based on the affected m² area and the building's value (Building value is very less as it's build before 40 years). Reapplying paint would resolve the issue, and even if I were to cover the repair cost, it wouldn't be much.
When I visited the landlord, after a lengthy discussion, he asked me to buy him a new bed frame as compensation for the floor damage (He had requested that I leave a mattress behind when I moved out, which I gave him for free, and now he wanted a bed frame to match). Wanting to resolve the issue quickly, I showed him options on Amazon, and he selected one, which I ordered immediately.
After receiving the bed frame, he messaged me, saying it looked nice and matched the mattress size. He also informed me that he had notified my company that all matters were settled. This took place in mid-May, shortly after I moved out.
However, the landlord has not returned my security deposit. When I called to inquire about it, he said he would return it after a new tenant moved in on August 1st. When I followed up about the deposit around the second week of August, he suddenly claimed that I needed to pay for the floor repairs and then abruptly ended the call.
Since then, he has contacted my company, insisting that he needs to repair the floor and demanding compensation. He also accused me of making unwanted calls and messages, asking my company to instruct me to stop. Additionally, in another email to my company, he fabricated stories, falsely claiming that I initially agreed to pay for the floor damage but later refused. In reality, we never discussed the floor damage after the matter was settled on May 15th.
I have solid evidence to prove that he is lying, including recorded phone calls and saved message history, which he is unaware of. I have shared all this details with my company, and they have also identified that the last month's rent was paid twice and that the landlord has not returned the overpayment.
My company has responded to the landlord, stating that the matter was already settled and requesting that he return the security deposit along with the duplicate rent payment.
What steps should I take next? I would greatly appreciate your advice.
by RockyNeeds