broken/abandon lease?

Question

About 6 months ago me my girlfriend and her best friend moved in to an apartment in ca , all of us were on the lease. At the begening of september she moved out without warning and never came back because her and my gf got in to a dispute. Now that the lease is coming to an end she is trying to take the securty deposit, which she had paid in cash that me and my gf gave her before, there was not a dime of her money in the deposit, but there is now way to prove any thing . Since she walked put and violated the lease what will happen. Dose any one have any specic laws or anything that could help me and my gf since we are sill living at the apartment and plant to stay for a while

Answer 1

Lesson #1 : Get everything in writing, and get receipts for everything.

If she gave the landlord the security deposit, he's probably going to return it to her. You can sue her in small claims court, claiming that you gave it to her first, but can you prove it?

Richard

Answer 2

Generally, landlord will not return the deposit unless tenants are leaving. As two of you remain, you might put a word both in writing and in landlord's shell-like ear to the effect that you three have had a falling out and that now you are two. If fighter roomie wants to collect on her 'share' of the deposit, she'll have to approach you two and hope you're in a giving mood when the lease terminates.

If you are crazy enough to sign a lease with someone other than a spouse, remember that one of you is at liberty to walk away without notice, leaving the other on the hook for all the rent. You would have to pursue roomie legally to get her to pay, and this is a pain. You've had one life lesson now. Do you need another? Think carefully about renewing your lease.