u/Blaze4G — reddlx

Thanks in advanced for any replies received! I am planning to file a small claims lawsuit

Location: Broward County - Florida. 825 sqft apartment

$600 of 1800 security deposit was kept for the following reasons:

Cleaning fee $300 (onion and garlic shells / leaves? in one of cabinets in the kitchen, make up dust in the bathroom draw, a shoe print in the shower, 1 finger nail on the outdoor balcony, oven had dried on grease on grills)
Scratches on floor $150
Holes in wall $150 (5 screw holes where tv was mounted)

Property Manager sent notice on day 29 via email and text requesting to confirm receipt and that we didn't provide any forwarding address. Note: she didn't request a forwarding address at any point, she has both my wife and phone number emails.

Florida law: The notice must be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the tenant’s last known mailing address.
– § 83.49(3)(a), Fla. Stat.

I confirmed receipt via email (I wasn't aware of the law above at the time).
I sent in my dispute within the 15 days allowed by law via certified mail
Tried coming to an amicable solution (they keep $270 and they return an additional $330). They are having none of it.
Proof I have are as follows:

Before moving out the property manager made us aware they were doing a full renovation. Ripping out all the cabinets in the kitchen, bathroom, new shower, etc. So I didnt do the best job of cleaning out the onion and garlic leaves / shells nor the bathroom with the make up dust. I got quotes from 3 companies in the area to clean kitchen, both bathrooms, balcony and oven that averaged $150. They did do the full reno and I have the pictures of the updates.
Move in sheet signed by property manager notates scratches on floor throughout apartment. There were no additional scratches.
During walk through the property manger said there were no issues. She even saw the cabinet that had the onion and garlic shells and said to not worry about it because they were being ripped out anyway (didnt do a sign off sheet though).
Previous tenant had warned me they may try to unfairly keep security deposit before we moved out. They did it to him and he had to go to court and he won. He is willing to sign an affidavit.

My negotiation I proposed was to accept $150 cleaning fee, $120 for 5 screw holes.

My main grievance isn't the money but charging $300 for cleaning when you're going to do a full reno anyway.

Plan is to bring all my evidence but is it a open shut case with the § 83.49(3)(a), Fla. Stat. law? Or did I mess up by confirming receipt via email?