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Renter, owner clash over deposit amount

By Robert Griswold, Thursday, April 23, 2009.

Q: I live in a small apartment complex that recently changed ownership. I was not that worried about a new owner until I gave notice that I will be moving out next month at the end of my lease. I told the owner I wanted to know what I can do to get my full $1,500 security deposit back, expecting him to give me a list of cleaning requirements. But I was very surprised when he told me that I have only a $1,200 security deposit per the records he received from the prior owner. His position is that since that is the amount he received, that is all I am potentially entitled to.

I know that I paid a $1,500 deposit, because when I moved in four years ago the required security deposit was 1 1/2 months' rent. I even pulled out a copy of my move-in paperwork and the canceled check, but he insists that is my problem and I need to contact the prior owner. What should I do? more...

Jobless renter still on the hook for lease

By Robert Griswold, Thursday, April 9, 2009.

Q: I recently signed a new lease on a beautiful rental home. However, I lost my job and am finding it very hard to pay my rent. I was wondering if there was a way to break my lease due to loss of job?

A: No, not unless you have a specific "lease break" clause for loss of your job or a job transfer or other similar reason. If not, then your only hope is that your landlord is voluntarily willing to allow you to break your lease. A lease is a legally binding contract and enforceable regardless of your employment or personal situation. What if the landlord lost his job? Would it be acceptable that he raise your rent during a fixed-term, fixed-rent lease just because something changed in his life? Of course not. Just as you would expect to rely on all terms of your lease, the landlord does too. more...

Static over $4,100 carpet charge

By Robert Griswold, Friday, March 27, 2009.

Q: We recently moved out of an apartment we rented for four years. Our lease allowed us to have a dog. We were very neat and clean tenants, and the owner came over often during the tenancy to make minor repairs and not once mentioned any concerns about our housekeeping. more...

Rising water costs take toll on renters

By Robert Griswold, Friday, March 13, 2009.

Q: I have been renting a duplex unit for more than three years. A week ago, my landlord told me that the water bills have been getting very high and that she was thinking about charging me for water. My lease states that I am not responsible for water unless it's more than $30 per month. more...

Landlord suspects illegal sublet

By Robert Griswold, Thursday, February 26, 2009.

Q: I have a rental house and during a recent drive-by to check on my property I noticed that there were two cars in the driveway that I had never seen in the past. I called my tenant and they told me that they had some family that is staying with them for the holidays. I allow my tenants to have guests for up to two weeks so I wasn't that worried. However, the holidays are over and yesterday evening I went by again and the cars are still there. The rental property has four bedrooms so I think they have sublet rooms in the house but are telling me that they just have visiting family. What do I do about these additional occupants?

A: Tenants frequently abuse the guest policy by having additional occupants in their rental unit for extended periods of time. But you may have trouble determining the difference between a temporary guest and a new live-in occupant. If you suspect that your tenant has added an additional occupant to the rental unit, your first step should be to talk with your tenant to find out what's going on. more...

Late rent payments becoming major headache

By Robert Griswold, Thursday, February 12, 2009.

Q: I own several rental properties and have had tenants who had trouble paying the rent, but the economy seems to have hit my tenants very hard. Several tell me that their work hours have been cut back or they have been laid off. It is getting much more difficult to collect the rent. I am even accepting partial payments, as some rent is better than nothing. One of my tenants still hasn't paid any of last month's rent and admitted to me that he is considering bankruptcy. What should I do? more...

Breaking lease when partner is abusive

By Robert Griswold, Thursday, January 29, 2009.

Q: A few months ago I rented a house in a rural area with my now ex-girlfriend. We both completed separate rental applications and signed the two-year lease. I now have a major problem. After several weeks of putting up with her drunken tirades and verbal abuse, I am in fear of my safety. The neighbors called the police numerous times, and I even had to call them last month. At that time, the officer responding to my call suggested I might want to find another place to live to keep the peace -- so I took his advice and moved out. more...

Setting rent in a declining market

By Robert Griswold, Thursday, January 15, 2009.

Q: I am a landlord with a high-end rental property located in a very nice, older part of town. The rental is a 90-year-old home in good condition but without a lot of remodeling. It has 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, two fireplaces, a spectacular view, a garden and a one-car garage. A little less than a year ago I rented the property for $4,800 per month. I thought that the rent was very reasonable at the time, as I had many prospective tenants. more...

Tenants eye renovation discount
By Robert Griswold, Thursday, January 8, 2009.

Q: For six years I have lived in a beautiful six-townhouse complex with a common courtyard. The other tenants and I have become such a close-knit "family" that we even spend holidays together. Last year, a new owner bought the place and he clearly is interested in maximizing his income. In one year, he not only raised our rent by 3 percent but we have seen fliers indicating that the newly renovated units will go for almost double our current rent! more...

Landlord: No more leeway for late rent
By Robert Griswold, Thursday, December 18, 2008.

Q: My boss reads your column and suggested that I contact you about my landlord. I have lived in the same apartment for 12-plus years and have seen the building go through several changes of ownership. When the current owners purchased the property a few months ago they did not require any of the tenants to sign new rental agreements. So we are under a lease agreement that expired six months ago and has now become a month-to-month agreement. The terms of this agreement indicate that any rent unpaid after the fifth of the month is late, and the late fee is $75. The problem I have is that I get paid every month on the sixth and the last owner never enforced that late charge, but the new owner is very strict and won't work with me. So I have had to ask my boss to pay me on the fifth so I won't be late. more...

Back out of deal, forfeit holding deposit
By Robert Griswold, Thursday, December 4, 2008.

Q: Knowing that I wanted to move out of my parents' house, a friend from work told me about this great little guest house that her aunt had available. I went over and it was just what I needed, but I wanted to think about it some more. However, she said she had two other people call on the guest house who were coming over to see it that afternoon. I was planning on moving in after my next paycheck in a couple of weeks, and she agreed and promised that she wouldn't rent it to anyone else as long as I gave her a "holding deposit" of $300. She didn't make me sign the 12-month lease, but offered me a blank one to take home.

I didn't want to lose the place so I wrote her a check, which I noticed online had barely cleared my bank account the next day. The problem is that since putting down the deposit I have changed my mind and would rather save money for a new car by continuing to tolerate old Mom and Dad and their archaic house rules. I called and told my friend's aunt that I changed my mind, and she is refusing to return my deposit saying that she now has to start all over again and place ads and it will take her at least two weeks to find a new tenant. Don't I have the right to simply change my mind? I can return items to my favorite store at the mall even after I have worn the items and I get a full refund. Why can't I get my money back from this lady? more...

Cheated out of security deposit?
By Robert Griswold, Thursday, November 20, 2008.

Q: After a two-year tenancy I gave my apartment manager written notice that I would be moving out, and I moved out four days prior to the end of my lease. I even stayed with a friend before moving out of state so that my apartment manager would have enough time to do a walkthrough and suggest any additional cleaning and or repairs that needed to be done to receive my full security deposit back. She walked through and told me that everything looked perfect and that I would be refunded my entire deposit within the legally required time limit. more...

Landlord refuses to part with '70s shag
By Robert Griswold, Thursday, November 6, 2008.

Q: I rent a small cottage and have some concerns about my carpet. It's the kind of carpet that can best be described as 1970s-style shag with all the different color browns so you can't tell where there are spots and stains. I hate to think about what stains could have happened in the last 30 years! My landlord promised to replace the carpet before I took possession of the rental, but when it came time to move-in he just had it "cleaned." more...

When tenants fight, stay neutral
By Robert Griswold, Thursday, October 23, 2008.

Q: I own a rental home in a very quiet suburban neighborhood. About six months ago I rented the home to a young newlywed couple and everything was fine for the first few months. But the honeymoon is over, and lately I have been getting calls about some very serious and loud disagreements that have led to numerous complaints from neighbors. I spoke to my tenants the first time and then I sent them a written warning. Last weekend I understand the police were called. more...

How stubborn tenants kill sales
By Robert Griswold, Wednesday, October 8, 2008.

Q: My rental home has been for sale for more than a year. During this time, I have given my tenant a rent discount for allowing me to show the home and for the fact that he will have to move on a 30-day notice when it sells. more...

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