Has anyone ever not gotten a security deposit back?

[ryan]

Just moved out of my apartment in metarie. My landload, who seemed to be a nice guy for the time I had the apartment, screwed me out of my deposit ($600). I called him today and asked where it was. His words were " there was a stain on the carpet that we tried to steam clean 3 times until we finally had to replace the carpet." He also said that the shower was dirty and they had to scrub the soap scum off. Keep in mind, I lived here on and off for 2 years, so I was not there a month and moved out. The stain I think he is talking about was under the couch and was there when I moved in. He said he will send me invoices for the work. I went though and cleaned the whole place for 3 hours after I has everything out. Paid my rent early every month I lived there, never late, never bounced a check, no noise complaints, nothing.

Is there anything I can do? I regret now not walking though it with him before I turned the keys over.

I look at it this way too, if I own a rental property, I would expect to replace the carpet every few years, heck, that's why you put cheap carpet in a rental.

 

[SpeedRacer]

The real question is...has anybody ever gotten a deposit BACK? Your story sounds about like the norm.

 

[ryan]

my company rents apartments a lot for employees all over the country and as far as I know, they have always gotten their money back.

 

[jbonnette]

I find it helpful to take before and after pictures when you rent a place. I also do a walk-through with the owner and make notes on the lease. I've almost always received a full deposit back.

 

[idunno]

I would think the more thorough you are on your move-in inspection, the more likely you are to get your deposit back.

 

[jms]

In the earlier part of my life I was beaten out deposits several times. I believe that it's a way of land lords recovering money they have lost in rent or what ever. I have been married 42 years ,have only rented a few times . If you can manage it, I would buy ,put your money into something you should be able to get a return . Good luck

 

[Mouthpiece]

PM sent.

 

[aard3]

I've lived in 3 different apartments during and after college, I got my deposit back in full from each.

The 1st place did try to screw me out of it, but it was more like "oh, it's in the mail...", "oh, sorry, we forgot to print yours"...etc... finally had a friend of a friend who is a lawyer send a letter on his leader head... had a check the next day.

Aaron

 

[onelochevy]

Both of the places I rented from gave me my full deposits. Never had a problem.

 

[504BigNasty]

If my deposit is the same amount of the rent I just don't pay the last month.

 

[Baldrik78]

I've only gotten one security deposit back. Well, more like $11.57 on a $500 deposit.

I suppose we looked at the deposit as a down payment on future damage.

 

[kcinnick]

He has one month to tell you in writing why you are not getting your deposit back. Even if he did replace the carpet with new carpet, you would only be responsible for paying for the depreciated value of the carpet, not the new replacement cost. Deposits are not to be withheld for normal wear and tear, however many landlords think that the deposit is their own personal piggy bank for fixing normal wear and tear items.

...with that said, good luck with that. Unless you have move in and move out pictures you don't have much of a chance.

Your best chance would be to convince him you mean business and you will sue for it, if a quick scare doesn't work I don't think you will have much luck in court without proper evidence.

 

[my-rifle]

Yeah that doesn't sound right. I've been a tenant, and I am now a landlord. As a tenant I always got back that part of the deposit that didn't go towards cleaning the place for a new tenant. Usually that was in the neighborhood of $125.

Now I have a tenant renting my wife's old house, and when he eventually moves out I think I'm going to send him his full deposit back unless he goes crazy between now and then.

Ryan are you leaving us?

 

[kdoske]

Landlords must provide proof of the money spent against the deposit. Proof must be in the form of payment made to 3rd parties or a document of paid hours worked to the apartments employees plus supplies.

If he refuses to give you proof then take him to court. If he can't provide real proof, paid work in 30 days of your vacating equaling the $600.00, then if will be ruled in your favor.

It's always suspicious when a landlord never ask for more money or you never get anything, not even 10-20 bucks, back in return.

 

[Mjolnir]

Always received them (sometimes minus $100) but never has anyone tried to keep any more than $100. Usually, the deposit was one month's rent (~$1k).

Something's not right. HOPEFULLY you had before and after photos...

 

[SirIsaacNewton]

My cousin who is in the ARMY had a dickhead landlord try to screw him over when he left assuming he wouldn't do anything because he was being reassigned. He took him to civil court and won got his deposit back and the court costs. Threaten him with legal action and take pictures. Some guys are just dickheads that think they can take advantage of you.

 

[madmax4x4]

If my deposit is the same amount of the rent I just don't pay the last month.

I have only got one back, about two years ago and I had lived in the apartment for 6 years. but I had only lived with some other people in two place's not counting school and I didn't expect to get anything back...

 

[Nomad.2nd]

I always try to sublet or rent 'off the grid'

Bout the one exception, I did not get it back, no reason not to, but I was active duty at the time and had more pressing things to worry about.

I like that 'not paying the last months rent' idea.

but my current security deposit is only $100, and they waved the cleaning deposit, so I'm not too worried about it.

 

[herohog]

I have been screwed out of my deposit EVERY TIME and I have ALWAYS left the places I rented in BETTER shape than they were in when I moved in!

 

[CEHollier]

I had a landlord keep my deposit. It was a old house and the windows leaked air badly. I caulked the crap out of the windows and they wouldn't open. He was pissed. LOL. The tennant after us moved out in the middle of the night owing rent. Poetic justice.