Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/17/84; site inuxd.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!dual!qantel!ihnp4!inuxc!inuxd!jla From: jla@inuxd.UUCP (Joyce Andrews) Newsgroups: net.legal Subject: Rental Damage Deposit Return Message-ID: <785@inuxd.UUCP> Date: Tue, 6-Aug-85 12:21:28 EDT Article-I.D.: inuxd.785 Posted: Tue Aug 6 12:21:28 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 11-Aug-85 06:47:07 EDT Distribution: net Organization: AT&T Consumer Products, Indianapolis Lines: 48 In January of this year I signed an eighteen-month lease on a furnished house (good until June 30, 1986). I paid a deposit of $500 on the house, and $300 on the furniture. Both were refundable when I turned over an undamaged house. I also had an option to purchase. In June of this year, six months into the lease, the owners decided they had to sell the house. By then I knew that I didn't want to live there, so I told them I would not exercise my option. They told me I would have to get out. I figured I could argue because of the lease, but I also realized that my income level needed a mortgage payment instead of rent, so I bought a house and told the owners I would be out Aug. 1. I guess they were irritated that I didn't buy the house, because they started being a problem--showing up to fix the deck, showing people through the house, calling, etc. The husband has a vicious temper and I worried constantly about my teenagers getting in his way. I told them not to come around unless they had cleared it with me, but they showed up anyway. When I realized I had a problem I put the July rent in escrow and told them I would pay it ($550) when I got my $800 deposit. Well, I moved. I had their furniture and all the carpets professionally cleaned. We hadn't gotten it very dirty, but my German ancestry was leaning over my shoulder saying "leave it spotless." The windows were washed, the appliances were scrubbed--the house was far cleaner than when we moved in. They refuse to give me the $250 difference between rent owed and deposit owed. They claim damage--an old iron anchor that was resting against a tree as a lawn decoration rusted through (I never touched it). They say that the garbarge disposal is leaking. It wasn't before. They say I broke a very old lawnmower that I never even tried to start (I have my own lawnmower). Anyway, this goes on and on. My real question is, IS THERE ANYWAY TO GET BACK A DAMAGE DEPOSIT? Does a landlord have the complete hold over whether he/she owes you that deposit or not? Should I go to small claims court? BTW, I had them sign a lease termination so that they couldn't say that I had broken the lease. The lease termination says that they are terminating the lease for the purpose of selling the house. What's a mother to do?