What to do if my landlord from the previous house claims that deposits were linked with all tenants when we first moved into the property?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What to do if my landlord from the previous house claims that deposits were linked with all tenants when we first moved into the property?
However new tenants moved in last year, now we’ve all moved out. The landlord is saying there was a problem with one of the initial housemates but only telling us this 2 years later. and saying we can’t get our deposits back until the issue is resolved with that previous tenant. I’ve asked him for documentation for the accounts being linked but it’s been 2+ months and keeps saying he will send it. Can I get my deposit back? He hasn’t even told me what scheme my deposit is protected with.
Asked on October 16, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Ohio
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
You hail from the state of Ohio, correct? There are specific steps and requirments that a landlord must meet regarding security deposits.If the landlord does not follow the exact letter of the law then their right to withhold ANY of your deposit money is forfeited completely. In this case Tenant laws in the State of Ohio force the landlord to return 100% of your security desposit.Now, landlords can with hold for unpaid ernt and utility bills as well as damages. Upon receiving your forwarding address, a landlord has 30 days to either return your deposit or give you an itemized list of what was withheld. If part or all of your security deposit was kept, the itemized list must be a detailed list of exactly what was withheld. I think that you need to either speak with some one or sue the landlord in small claims court and do so asap. Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.