so we are moving out of our apartment---its an illegal basement apartment with a crazy landlady. now, we were told by the couple who used to live across the hall from us (its a big basement) how she gave the girl who loved in the apt before us a hard time about giving her her security deposit back and that when we move out we should tell her to use our deposit toward our last months rent rather than waiting on her to give it back.
my question is, is this acceptable to do? we have not done any structural damage to the apt and there is not even much 'normal wear and tear' and we will clean it good before we leave, so i know we should get our deposit back no matter what, but i don't trust our landlady. (our old neighbors told us how she used to enter their apt and the girl who lived in ours before us' apt when they weren't home!!! we had our suspisions about her and their stories about her confirmed them). let me know whatcha think! ~lacey
roxyspark
Posted:
Member since
Re: apt security deposit
Well it depends if you would need to use her as a landlord reference. If you don't then tell her to apply the security towards the last month's rent. And just to be on the safe side, take pictures of the apt right before you move out, so she can't say you damaged it.
lacey&mark
Posted:
Member since
Re: apt security deposit
thanks. we wont need her as a reference, we are moving into my sisters basement apt (from one basement to another, i love LI). thanks for the picture tip, thats a great idea. anyone else have any thoughts? ~lacey
VickiC
Posted:
Member since
Re: apt security deposit
When we moved out of our apartment we used our security deposit as our last months rent. The Landlords were fine with it, they actually suggested it!
I don't see anything wrong with doing that especially since it's the same amount as your regular rent would be if you didn't do any damage to the place. Saves you $$ for that last month.
103005FallBride
Posted:
Member since
Re: apt security deposit
Definitely do it. Your landlady sounds like she could cause trouble just because she is 'shady'. I recently had to move into a 'legal' apt, because our house/apt was reported. It wasn't a nice feeling 4 mths before the wedding, but thankfully we've been blessed with an amazing apt twice the size with more goodies than the other. Good luck! Don't get caught.
eogara
Posted:
Member since
Re: apt security deposit
This is usually not allowed by leased apartments simply for the fact that if you destroy the apartment during that last month, they have no financial recourse.
However, since it's an illegal apartment, do it. She has no legal recourse here since she obviously can't bring it up in court. I would tell her a couple of days before the rent is due that this is your plan, just as a courtesy. She'll probably give you a hard time but I'd just tell her to take you to court, which she obviously won't.
lacey&mark
Posted:
Member since
Re: apt security deposit
thanks! i think we will let her know before rent is do that we will be using our security deposit as our last months rent. i guess she really can't say no bc she can't do much about it legally. we are so happy to move out and into my sisters basement apartment which is much bigger and cheaper than this one :) thanks again! ~lacey
myasmom
Posted:
Member since
Re: apt security deposit
We didnt give our landlord a choice. It was a legal leased aartment and when we bought our house we TOLD her that we would be living out our deosit however she knew that we didnt do any damage for the 4 yeasrs we were there so I guess it sbased on trust which it sound slike you dont have with her but alas if you dont get your security back report her A$$ for the illegal apt after you are gone.
