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Indiana landlord's $6,200 award cut to $2,400 over missing damage list

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The dispute originated when tenant John Tuttle vacated an apartment managed by Bruce Skiles of TRS99 LLC while owing $2,400 in back rent. Although Skiles claimed more than $13,000 in property damages, including ruined plumbing fixtures and heavy cigarette smoke, he failed to issue an itemized list of damages within the required 45-day post-tenancy window. The appellate court eliminated the trial court's $3,800 award for repairs and dumpster fees because Skiles conceded he never provided the statutory written breakdown. As a result, the landlord is legally restricted to recovering only the outstanding unpaid rent.

Key points

  • Indiana landlords must deliver an itemized list of property damages within 45 days of a t…: Indiana landlords must deliver an itemized list of property damages within 45 days of a tenancy ending.
  • Landlords who fail to provide the statutory damage breakdown cannot legally recover funds…: Landlords who fail to provide the statutory damage breakdown cannot legally recover funds for property repairs.
  • Tenant John Tuttle remains legally obligated to pay the reduced judgment of $2,400 for pa…: Tenant John Tuttle remains legally obligated to pay the reduced judgment of $2,400 for past-due rent.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

An Indiana landlord who won $6,200 from a former tenant over unpaid rent and damage to an apartment will now receive only $2,400 after a state appeals court ruled on Thursday that the property owner had failed to follow an important requirement under state law. According to the

judgment, the landlord had not sent the tenant a written list explaining the damage and the money being claimed for repairs. The court ruled that this failure prevented the landlord from recovering repair and cleaning costs, although the unpaid rent was still due.

The dispute involved John Tuttle, who rented an apartment owned by TRS99 LLC, a company managed by Bruce Skiles. Tuttle lived in the property from 2024 until January 2026. He began falling behind on rent in January 2025, and by the time his tenancy ended, he owed $2,400.

On January 3 this year, Skiles informed Tuttle through a text message that his lease would end on January 31. As the deadline approached, Tuttle asked for another week because he was unsure whether he could finish moving out in time.…

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