The joys of renting from the ‘Mom and Pop’ outfits

[svelte]

Landlords trying to keep the deposit – even when you leave the property in better shape that when you moved in – is nothing new.

It happened to us several times in the 1980s.

I came up with a solution though, and used it several times successfully. When the last month’s rent was due, I wrote the landlord a letter and told them to use the security deposit as the last month’s rent. They weren’t thrilled and they could still take us to court if we had damaged the property, but the places were always spic-n-span when we left so we never had a problem.

It basically turned the tables: they would have to take me to court and defend their deductions of the deposit, as opposed to me having to take them to court to get my deposit back.

[cashflow]

svelte,

we have really cheap landlords. We are planning on doing the same, just telling them to apply the deposit to last month of rent. We have spent money in fixing things up around the house, so can’t see how they could possibly justify any demands. The house looks so much better than when we got it. I guess we’ll take our chances on that…better than losing out on our deposit, which I’m pretty sure they’d do.

[cashflow]

svelte,

we have really cheap landlords. We are planning on doing the same, just telling them to apply the deposit to last month of rent. We have spent money in fixing things up around the house, so can’t see how they could possibly justify any demands. The house looks so much better than when we got it. I guess we’ll take our chances on that…better than losing out on our deposit, which I’m pretty sure they’d do.

[cashflow]

svelte,

we have really cheap landlords. We are planning on doing the same, just telling them to apply the deposit to last month of rent. We have spent money in fixing things up around the house, so can’t see how they could possibly justify any demands. The house looks so much better than when we got it. I guess we’ll take our chances on that…better than losing out on our deposit, which I’m pretty sure they’d do.

[cashflow]

svelte,

we have really cheap landlords. We are planning on doing the same, just telling them to apply the deposit to last month of rent. We have spent money in fixing things up around the house, so can’t see how they could possibly justify any demands. The house looks so much better than when we got it. I guess we’ll take our chances on that…better than losing out on our deposit, which I’m pretty sure they’d do.

[cashflow]

svelte,

we have really cheap landlords. We are planning on doing the same, just telling them to apply the deposit to last month of rent. We have spent money in fixing things up around the house, so can’t see how they could possibly justify any demands. The house looks so much better than when we got it. I guess we’ll take our chances on that…better than losing out on our deposit, which I’m pretty sure they’d do.

[Username]

I’ve had to take landlords to court before to recover a security deposit. The beautiful thing about renting in California is according to Civil code 1950.5 the landlord has 21 days to give back your deposit or an itemized statement with the damages and the remaining deposit. If 21 days goes by and they do not return it and you have to take them to court you are allowed to sue them for twice the deposit plus the original damages (the problem is collecting from a deadbeat). Look up California Civil code 1950.5:

(l) The bad faith claim or retention by a landlord or the landlord’s successors in interest of the security or any portion thereof in
violation of this section, or the bad faith demand of replacement security in violation of subdivision (j), may subject the landlord or
the landlord’s successors in interest to statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the security, in addition to actual damages.

[Username]

I’ve had to take landlords to court before to recover a security deposit. The beautiful thing about renting in California is according to Civil code 1950.5 the landlord has 21 days to give back your deposit or an itemized statement with the damages and the remaining deposit. If 21 days goes by and they do not return it and you have to take them to court you are allowed to sue them for twice the deposit plus the original damages (the problem is collecting from a deadbeat). Look up California Civil code 1950.5:

(l) The bad faith claim or retention by a landlord or the landlord’s successors in interest of the security or any portion thereof in
violation of this section, or the bad faith demand of replacement security in violation of subdivision (j), may subject the landlord or
the landlord’s successors in interest to statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the security, in addition to actual damages.

[Username]

I’ve had to take landlords to court before to recover a security deposit. The beautiful thing about renting in California is according to Civil code 1950.5 the landlord has 21 days to give back your deposit or an itemized statement with the damages and the remaining deposit. If 21 days goes by and they do not return it and you have to take them to court you are allowed to sue them for twice the deposit plus the original damages (the problem is collecting from a deadbeat). Look up California Civil code 1950.5:

(l) The bad faith claim or retention by a landlord or the landlord’s successors in interest of the security or any portion thereof in
violation of this section, or the bad faith demand of replacement security in violation of subdivision (j), may subject the landlord or
the landlord’s successors in interest to statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the security, in addition to actual damages.

[Username]

I’ve had to take landlords to court before to recover a security deposit. The beautiful thing about renting in California is according to Civil code 1950.5 the landlord has 21 days to give back your deposit or an itemized statement with the damages and the remaining deposit. If 21 days goes by and they do not return it and you have to take them to court you are allowed to sue them for twice the deposit plus the original damages (the problem is collecting from a deadbeat). Look up California Civil code 1950.5:

(l) The bad faith claim or retention by a landlord or the landlord’s successors in interest of the security or any portion thereof in
violation of this section, or the bad faith demand of replacement security in violation of subdivision (j), may subject the landlord or
the landlord’s successors in interest to statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the security, in addition to actual damages.

[Username]

I’ve had to take landlords to court before to recover a security deposit. The beautiful thing about renting in California is according to Civil code 1950.5 the landlord has 21 days to give back your deposit or an itemized statement with the damages and the remaining deposit. If 21 days goes by and they do not return it and you have to take them to court you are allowed to sue them for twice the deposit plus the original damages (the problem is collecting from a deadbeat). Look up California Civil code 1950.5:

(l) The bad faith claim or retention by a landlord or the landlord’s successors in interest of the security or any portion thereof in
violation of this section, or the bad faith demand of replacement security in violation of subdivision (j), may subject the landlord or
the landlord’s successors in interest to statutory damages of up to twice the amount of the security, in addition to actual damages.

[svelte]

Excellent thing to know, thanks!

[svelte]

Excellent thing to know, thanks!

[svelte]

Excellent thing to know, thanks!

[svelte]

Excellent thing to know, thanks!

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