Quote:
Originally Posted by milt
Can he keep your deposit?
Well, it's standard procedure to not refund. That's landlords for you.
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BS. As a landlord, first impressions are important.
So are last impressions.
If I've had a good renter, and they move out, they probably have friends and family who may one day need a place to rent. I'd like my former tenants to be word-of-mouth advertising for me, so as long as one makes a fair attempt at leaving the place nice, I always refund the entire amount, even if it still costs me some money to re-rent. I'd hate to have a great renter end up with a bad taste in their mouth about me because they thought they got screwed when moving out.
Of course, if the place is an obvious mess, then the deposit is not refunded.
Bottom line, nobody EVER challenges me if I keep a deposit.
Now, about Wolfe's specific situation....
In Washington State, a landlord may keep the deposit
only if there is a proper Move-in report, along with a corresponding Move-out report.
The landlord must prove to the court (or whomever) by documentation comparing the condition prior to moving in, and the condition after the tenant has moved out.
-So-
As long as Wolfe has given us the entire story,
-The landlord cannot keep the deposit, unless Wolfe signed a report listing any deficiencies upon move-in.
-Also, if the landlord does not refund the deposit or supply a report listing any charges against the deposit within 14 days of vacating the premisis, he is owed three times the amount of deposit, as the landlord is acting in bad faith.
Disclaimer: I am not an attorney. I'm just a guy who used to own apartments in Washington State. Laws may have changed.
My advice to Wolfe: Paying for an hour of time with a good, local Landlord/Tenant attorney may be enough to get your deposit back. A quick letter on the attorney's letterhead explaining the above L/T law of Washington may get the landlord to change his story before he ends up in court. In my experience, he won't be able to write the check fast enough to make you go away before things get ugly.
I wish you well. Keep me updated....