Case Name: Kathleen Dorie BRADWELL v. Charles R. CARTER
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1974-04-22
Citations: 299 So. 2d 853
Docket Number: No. 9795
Parties: Kathleen Dorie BRADWELL v. Charles R. CARTER.
Judges: Before LANDRY, ELLIS and PICKETT, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 299
Pages: 853–855

Head Matter:
Kathleen Dorie BRADWELL v. Charles R. CARTER.
No. 9795.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.
April 22, 1974.
Rehearing Denied May 30, 1974.
Michael A. Patterson, Baton Rouge, for appellant.
William H. Cooper Jr., Baton Rouge, for appellee.
Before LANDRY, ELLIS and PICKETT, JJ.

Opinion:
ELLIS, Judge:
Plaintiff Kathleen Dorie Bradwell leased an apartment from defendant Charles R. Carter for $100.00 per month. Defendant required a $50.00 deposit which plaintiff paid at occupancy.
Plaintiff deducted $15.00 from the rent for February, 1973, representing the cost of repairs, the responsibility for which was disputed. Defendant wrote plaintiff on February 23, 1973, demanding the full rent, and offering her the option of vacating the premises without complying with the notice provisions of the lease. Plaintiff thereupon moved out.
By certified letter, dated July 2, 1973, and received by defendant on July 6, plaintiff demanded the return of her deposit. Defendant did not respond, and this suit was filed on August 7, 1973, demanding the return of the deposit, together with damages and attorney's fees, under the provisions of R.S. 9:3251 et seq.
After trial on the merits, judgment was rendered in favor of plaintiff, ordering the return of the deposit and awarding $75.00 attorney's fees, but rejecting the prayer for damages. Plaintiff has appealed, urging that her claim for damages was improperly rejected.
R.S. 9:3251 — 9:3254 read as follows:
"3251. Any advance or deposit of money furnished by a tenant or lessee to a landlord or lessor to secure the performance of any part of a written or oral lease or rental agreement shall be returned to the tenant or lessee of dwelling premises within one month after the lease shall terminate, except that the landlord or lessor may retain all or any portion of the advance or deposit as is reasonably necessary to remedy a default of the ten ant or to remedy unreasonable wear to the premises. If any portion of an advance or deposit is retained by a landlord or lessor, he shall forward to the tenant or lessee, within one month after the date the tenancy terminates, an itemized statement accounting- for the proceeds which are retained and giving the reasons therefor."
"3252. The willful failure to comply with R.S. 9:3251 shall give the tenant or lessee the right to recover actual damages or two hundred dollars, whichever is greater, from the landlord or lessor. Failure to remit within thirty days after written demand for a refund shall constitute willful failure."
"3253. In an action brought under R.S. 9:3252, the court may in its discretion award costs and attorney's fees to the prevailing party."
"3254. Any waiver of the right of a tenant under this part shall be null and void."
In denying damages, the trial court found that there was a bona fide dispute between the parties as to the February rent, and that plaintiff was fully aware of it. It was found that, under those circumstances, the failure to remit the deposit was not willful, and that defendant was not liable for damages.
In this court, plaintiff argues that failure to remit or respond within thirty days of demand constitutes willful failure under the statute, and that the court erred in applying other considerations in making that determination. We agree with this contention. We can see no reason why the statute should not be enforced according to its terms, which are clear and unambiguous.
We think that the Legislature intended by this statute to require landlords to remit or account for rental deposits as required by the act, or to suffer the penalties therein provided.
Defendant failed to return the deposit or to forward an itemized statement within one month after the lease was terminated. After written demand was made on him, he did not remit or furnish an itemized statement. Under the express terms of the statute, he willfully failed to comply therewith, and therefore subjected himself to the penalties provided in R.S. 9:3252.
The judgment appealed from is therefore amended so as to increase the award to plaintiff by the additional sum of $200.00 as damages, and, as amended, it is affirmed, at defendant's cost.
Amended and affirmed.