I hired Richard Elley for a landlord-tenant dispute involving a security deposit with an ex-tenant. Initially, he advised that certain damages including unauthorized pet-related damage, unpaid rent of 3 days, house returned in a dirty state with oil dripping from the oven and structural modifications to the house could be charged against the deposit, and that we did not need to return the full amount.
He said we have a no-brainer justification to retain the security deposit, however, once the tenant responded with a strong and threatening letter, the approach changed significantly. Instead of guiding us through a clear strategy, the communication became reactive and somewhat discouraging. During a phone call, he expressed frustration about the direction of the case and questioned decisions that had previously been discussed, such as raising certain damages.
What concerned me most was the lack of consistent advocacy. The tenant appeared to self-advocate more effectively than our legal representation. There was little meaningful negotiation achieved on our behalf, and the matter ultimately resulted in us returning the full $2,500 security deposit, despite initially being advised otherwise.
We paid $1,500 in legal fees but saw no value in terms of negotiation or outcome. While Attorney Richard Elley seems knowledgeable about landlord-tenant law, the level of advocacy fell short of expectations, and the tenant appeared to advocate their position more effectively than our legal representation. read more