[chopstick]

Double check your lease to verify that they are unlikely to be able to reasonably justify not repaying you costs you incurred. Check all lease clauses for anything they might use.

If you think it will stand up to the scrutiny of a reasonable person, then make a list of all the costs you have incurred, including your time spent on this. The judge may lower the amount you receive if you win, but he will almost never raise it. Aim high.

Get the forms you need to file in small claims. They won't be complex. Write down your entire case in clear and concise language including dates, times, and facts.

Contact the company and find out who their legal counsel is. Contact that person, explain your intent to file, and ask if there is a way to handle this outside the courts, as you believe the company would rather not have judgments against it as a matter of public record. Have your filled-out documents in front of you as you discuss this. Read from them, but do not let the lawyer see them. Do this in person, if you can, so the lawyer knows you are serious. Even if your apt mgr is a moron, the lawyer probably isn't.

Assuming the lawyer declines to kick the company into writing you a check, file in small claims. Win.


Then write a Trip Report and post it here, obv.