granolieman
New Member
I lived in an apartment for 3 years. 2.5 years in, I got a roommate. I notified the landlord of the roommate and asked him to take care of deposit/lease details. So the roommate moves in. I put in my 30-day notice in Oct., stating that I'm moving out November 30th. I also state that while I'm moving, the roommate is interested in staying. The landlord writes back and promises to work out deposit/lease details so he can take over the place.
Sounds great, right? So I move as expected on Nov. 30th. I move 2,000 miles away to another apartment. I email the landlord in January with my new address to send my $1,100 security deposit back. No response. I wait for a while, no check shows up. A month later, I email to remind him again. He says I'll get my deposit back once the roommate moves out. I said, "Sorry, that wasn't what you promised me. HOW is the other guy still living there if he didn't give you a deposit?" Landlord responds, "He couldn't afford one, so we're just using yours." How wonderful. Never asked for my permission.
Over the next 5 months, I email him telling the landlord to get the roommate OUT of the apartment. I even send a letter-of-demand asking for my deposit back. I then email the landlord ordering him to evict the tenant so I can finally get my money. At this point, the ex-roommate becomes angry that I'm trying to get him kicked out. He FINALLY moves in May.
The landlord doesn't even notify me that the tenant has finally moved. I email once again, asking for the deposit back. His reply, "The apartment was so damaged that we had to use your entire deposit to fix it up." I've asked for a receipt, no reply. Obviously the roommate destroyed the apartment knowing I'd have to pay for it. I told the landlord this was entirely his fault since he knowingly let the tenant take over the apartment without a deposit.
I've contacted Fair Housing, but they only deal with discrimination issues. I contacted Housing Rights Center, yet they don't deal with landlord/tenant disputes. Suing is out of the question, because I'm horribly broke. I can't afford the plane ticket, hotel costs, court costs, taking the time off work. Who can I contact and how can we take away this landlord's business license? Would love to see him fined, too. :yes:
Sounds great, right? So I move as expected on Nov. 30th. I move 2,000 miles away to another apartment. I email the landlord in January with my new address to send my $1,100 security deposit back. No response. I wait for a while, no check shows up. A month later, I email to remind him again. He says I'll get my deposit back once the roommate moves out. I said, "Sorry, that wasn't what you promised me. HOW is the other guy still living there if he didn't give you a deposit?" Landlord responds, "He couldn't afford one, so we're just using yours." How wonderful. Never asked for my permission.
Over the next 5 months, I email him telling the landlord to get the roommate OUT of the apartment. I even send a letter-of-demand asking for my deposit back. I then email the landlord ordering him to evict the tenant so I can finally get my money. At this point, the ex-roommate becomes angry that I'm trying to get him kicked out. He FINALLY moves in May.
The landlord doesn't even notify me that the tenant has finally moved. I email once again, asking for the deposit back. His reply, "The apartment was so damaged that we had to use your entire deposit to fix it up." I've asked for a receipt, no reply. Obviously the roommate destroyed the apartment knowing I'd have to pay for it. I told the landlord this was entirely his fault since he knowingly let the tenant take over the apartment without a deposit.
I've contacted Fair Housing, but they only deal with discrimination issues. I contacted Housing Rights Center, yet they don't deal with landlord/tenant disputes. Suing is out of the question, because I'm horribly broke. I can't afford the plane ticket, hotel costs, court costs, taking the time off work. Who can I contact and how can we take away this landlord's business license? Would love to see him fined, too. :yes:
