Being Charged For Damages To Unit That Happened Before I Was 18

Location: California. My father and I moved into the unit when I was 8 years old, twenty years ago. When I was 16 he became disabled and I became his caretaker. Us living separately was never an option because of his disability. When I turned 18 per California law I was required to be added to the lease. The entire time he lived in the unit he smoked inside.

Please no judgements on this, I know it's gross or whatever that's not the point of this post. Last year my father had a stroke and is now wheelchair bound. We requested to move into a downstairs unit and they seemed really kind and accommodating, and now they want almost 10,000 dollars for damages to the unit. It started at just 2,400, they sent us an itemized bill for special paint to seal the walls and a professional deep cleaning. (Our monthly rent is 1200) Then they added something called ceiling abatement due to the smoking which was over 5,000 dollars. Our apartment when we moved into it was a smoking apartment and was made a smoke free unit after ten years of tenancy.

My father is disabled and does not have income. I am a nursing assistant but I'm currently in school. I just want to know if there is anything I can do. 9,000 dollars is so much debt to take on I feel so sick and I can't sleep. They told me I only have 90 days to pay it I'm scared they will evict us from our new apartment.

The damage was done by someone other than me I never smoked in the unit and the majority of the damage occured before I was even an adult or on the lease. I know this is my dad's fault but there's no sense blaming him it's not like he has any money or way to make money to fix it. He's quit smoking now completely and I'm very proud of him, but I just am so overwhelmed. I make so little money I support both of us on my own.