Here is my question. I was going to move out on my own into a room that was for rent and put down a $300.00 deposit that I had put down in June. I had to wait until the room was available which was on 7/23. He told me I needed to pay $300 more to hold the room until I move in in August (my move in date) so I paid him $600 all together. I decided that I did not want to move in anymore due to personal reasons. Anyways I asked if I could get my $300 deposit back and he refused to give it to me because I did not give him 30 days notice. It is not an apartment was going to rent, it was a room that was added onto his house. Is there anyway I can get my $300 back from him? I never even moved into the place.
2007-07-30 12:23:03 · 3 answers · asked by gabriella & lisa 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
Nope, you lose your deposit. You entered into a contractual agreement with the LL, either verbally or in writing. If you don't keep up your end of the agreement, you lose the deposit.
The LL took the place off the market when you agreed to rent it from him. Now he has to advertise it for rent again, clear potential tenants, and do without the rent income he was counting on. You have to compensate him for that and the standard means of doing that is to forfeit the deposit.
2007-07-30 12:53:47 · answer #1 · answered by Bostonian In MO 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Basically, if you pay a deposit and change your mind, you still are liable for the smallest increment of the rental agreement. In your case, it was a month. And, that's a pretty standard notification period. That is, even if you had lived there for a while and just one day moved out, you are still liable for one final month's rent, because you are required to give a one-month notification of intent to vacate.
Keep in mind that this person might have had to turn other people down when you were accepted as a tenant. And, it is going to cost him the $300 in lost rent that you agreed to pay for that month, as well as the cost of finding another tenant (advertising fees, time spent interviewing and doing background checks, etc.).
Sorry, but it doesn't look like you have any recourse on this one.
2007-07-30 19:32:40 · answer #2 · answered by Paul in San Diego 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Take him to small claims court pay the court 50 dollars and sue him for 350 dollars Good luck
2007-07-30 19:34:17 · answer #3 · answered by papabear098 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋