landlord problems?

Question

hi could anybody tell me how long after moving out of a property how long is it that your landlord can keep hold of your deposit , i left with no rent arrears at all, i have been gone since the 26th july and they say it will be forwarded to me when the house has been checked over, which it has , long ago,

Answer 1

You need to send him a certified letter stating that he has 30 days to get the deposit back in full or if there were repairs that needed to be done, then you want to see copies of paid receipts for that work or you are going to file a case against him for the full deposit. After the 30 days is up and you haven't gotten any correspondence from him, then you go to the county courthouse and file a small claims case against him. But, you need to make a 100% sure that you are in the right and have all paperwork to prove everything.

Answer 2

Unfortunately there is no law dictating how quickly a deposit should be returned, but it should be made within a reasonable timescale. This is usually 2-4 weeks at most.

If you rented through an agent, find out if they belong to a regulatory body (ARLA, RICS, NAEA, etc). If they do, then the first stage is to speak/write to the agent, then if the answer is not satisfactory, go through the body in question. Having worked for a letting agent for 3 years, I know that there are often delays with returning deposits which are beyond the agents control. These are usually due to waiting for 3rd parties to provide invoices for work done on the property which needs to be deducted from your deposit so there may be a vaild reason.

If you are through a private Landlord, ot can be a bit more tricky but your best bet is to keep on at them and perhaps visit your local CAB for advice. The CAB will often contact your Landlord/Agent directly to find out what the situation is.

The final step is to go to the small claims court but as this has costs involved, it's better to avoid this course of action if at all possible.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Here's a site where you can go for the laws in your... State... sometimes landlords do not share these laws with the tenants and more or less your left in the dark about your rights.
Every state is different in the ways they make them laws up. There's two sates in the USA that has to this day to pass laws to protect the tenants. http://www.uslandlord.com/ just go to Laws & Statutes and then pick the state you live in theres you laws up-dated at the time you go on this site.

This way its good to know you right unless, some people end up with a bad landlord because... there bluff works most of the time because of lack of knowledge of your rights.
After you have look at your rights and theirs.
Then you know where you can go as far as taking up for yourself.
If your civil rights has been broking you can call your local...Legal Aid and they will give you the number of a Pro-Bone-O Lawyer the help you in any problems you endure.*
http://www.lawyers.com/ is a site where you can talk to a chat with an attorney live also on there site... you can get a lawyer in your home town if you wish to go that way.

Answer 4

Commercial Properties usually give it back pretty promptly. Private ones, good luck. Too late for you now, but I usually withhold the last month of rent, and ask them to send me a bill minus the deposit. That way it becomes his problem rather than mine. If he can justify keeping part of the deposit, I pay the difference promptly.

-Dio

Answer 5

The law is different in every state.

Here, if the landlord does not return your deposit within 30 days or give you a proper accounting of what it was applied to ... you are entitled to DOUBLE your money back.

Find out the law in your state and don't be afraid to take them to court to get your money back.

Answer 6

Each state has a different time period for return of a tenant's security deposit. Go to http://realestate.findlaw.com/tenant/tenant-resources/tenant-rent-security-deposit-return.html to get the time limit for your state.

If the landord hasn't returned the deposit (or a detailed accounting of the deposit) within that time period then you should file a lawsuit in the county where the property is located.

Answer 7

Go to a lawyer/solicitor and ask them to write to him on your behalf. This will cost a little bit of cash, but as a lawyers letter is often a pre-cursor to a court action, then I am sure the bastard will take you seriously and refund your money.

BTW I just read diogenese19348's answer - its very good advice regarding using the deposit as the last months rent

Answer 8

You NEED to pay a much due VISIT to your "shady" landlord. Bring a BIG, (somewhat) intimidating GUY BUDDY along. In a firm but polite manner, question the whereabouts of your funds$$$ If this step provides you with the same "lame" answer as, after the "check-over," simply tell him you would love to tag along and assist. If another (stall-tactic) excuse, contact authorities. GOOD LUCK!!!

Answer 9

You should have had your deposit back as soon as he had checked property over, but some landlords make up stories that things were broken etc etc so they intend to keep it

Answer 10

The procedural info are going to variety fairly from state to state. despite the fact that, listed here are some customary factors: a million. A handwritten printed call is a signature; it does no longer could be in cursive. 2. whether the checklist does no longer "have effect", the owner can sue. you're at the back of interior the lease and the owner has the main dazzling to sue you for the lease which you already owed (in the previous the checklist replaced into written) except pay it. 3. a freelance signed below duress (as an occasion, if somebody mentioned that they could bodily injure you in case you probably did no longer sign) the two is invalid or could be renounced, finding on the state and distinctive different issues. 4. you do no longer could enable her save you identity's and in all threat do no longer could supply them to her in any respect. In specific very specific circumstances (as an occasion, if she is hiring you for a job), you're required to grant her your identity's long sufficient to for her to look at them, see in the event that they supply the effect of being like actual or solid, and photocopy them, yet to no longer enable her save them. 5. Passports and social protection enjoying cards are assets of the federal government, no longer of the guy to whom they are issued. you won't be able to sell or in any different case flow possession of them to her.