Alex Kiriaze rental properties

Upon first seeing the property, Alex was overly gracious and sugary-​sweet. He even showed us plans he drew up to install a dishwasher. That all quickly changed.
We moved in mid-​month. We had to provide credit reports and pay stubs prior to signing the lease. After we signed, Alex refused to give this sensitive information back to us. WHY keep it once he approved our rental agreement? Makes no sense.
We had to pay the prorated rent, the first entire month’s rent, last month’s rent and a $ 500 «bonus» as Alex called it. Basically, this is $ 500 you will never see again as Alex uses it to fix up properties on your dime.
When we moved in, the place was filthy. My boyfriend’s mom had to come down and help us clean it it was so bad. The carpets were not cleaned and we had to request them to be cleaned. It took 2 days to get the place clean. The back patio area was not even visible as it was completely overgrown with weeds. The overgrowth was actually causing the chain link fence to bow out they were so out of control. So we cleaned up the back patio. We wanted to polish the hardwood floors in the bedrooms but needed to move in our furniture as the lease was expiring on our old place. The hardwood floors were dull and badly needed to be refinished and polished.
We also had to replace lighting in the kitchen and one bedroom because what was there was a fire hazard.
We had no dryer when we moved it and he told us to just use our neighbors! It was 3 days before we had a working dryer. We had plumbing issues throughout our time there and he was slow to fix because he would call several plumbers to get the cheapest rate so we were without a working shower for 24 hours. During the almost 2 years we lived there, he never changed the air filter or did any kind of maintenance unless we asked.
Anytime we asked about the dishwasher he mentioned he always had an excuse «Times were hard.»
Upon moving out, Alex did a walk through with us but pointed out things that were NOT our responsibility to fix (normal wear/​tear) or things that were in that condition when we moved in. He actually pointed out flaws in the wall paint… a paint job he did himself!
We asked him if he wanted to keep the lighting we installed (2 new ceiling fans and one new kitchen light) for $ 100. He said «I don’t have $ 100 to give you so no, I don’t want them.»
Needless to say, I got quite upset during the walk through. So he tried a different tactic. He actually tried to compliment me and then proceeded to bash my boyfriend in the process. Saying I was a «good businesswoman» unlike my boyfriend. UNREAL.
It took him OVER the 21 day legally required time frame to return our money. Since we had prepaid the rent when we moved in + the $ 500 bonus, by my calculations he owed us about $ 1730. He did give us 3 old water bills the day after we gave our move out notice so after I subtracted them, he still owed us almost $ 1300.
He only gave us back $ 676 and included only two Home Depot receipts! The charges were beyond ridiculous. He actually charged us for 80 miles for mileage to go get the supplies! Yet Home Depot is only 5 ½ miles away. He charged us to take out trash (there was none) clean up the yard, re-​polish the hardwood floors, replace air filters, replant the weeds in the back, haul off waste and repaint. He charged is $ 95 to clean the living room carpet when it hadn’t even been done yet! (The $ 95 was an estimate!) We went over to the property was confirmed just by looking on the outside of the property he did NOT do anything that he charged us for. No replanting, the «waste» (an old fence left by a construction job done at the property next to ours) was still there, etc.
He seems to think he can do whatever he wants with the $ 500 bonus but per CA law, any monies that does NOT go to rent is considered a security deposit and therefore, the landlord must abide by the laws for security deposits. He did not. You cannot use a security deposit to clean carpet, paint, fix nail holes or anything caused by normal wear and tear.
Know your rights as a tenant and save yourself the frustration. Don’t rent from this guy.