<p>So did the OP send the letter written by sister lawyer, and if so, has there been any news?</p>
<p>No oetter 9 or "stern call, which was what sister offered), was needed. By the time i told D of that option she was not concenred about roomie, but was concnerned about the movers. She has yet to hear from the movers, and cocumented something like 14 calls, of which two were returned. </p>
<p>Daughter, husband and son arrived home safely last night. "!.( Anybody here been to "beautiful Winnemucca?)</p>
<p>Apparently “roomie/landlord” left a note on the whiteboard saying “let the dog out and drive safely”!</p>
<p>D just texted me that she had just called the movers, who said they would reverse charges by tommorow! </p>
<p>BTW, we are not pursuing getting the deposit back, and D told her about moving out before Aug 30th around June 12th. </p>
<p>I understand not wanting to make a fuss about the deposit. I hope it isn’t much. However, state laws may not allow her to keep it. In Washington state, the contract will generally state that the deposit may be forfeited for non payment of rent for the term. But I have an obligation to make a good faith effort to get a new tenant as soon as possible. And as soon as that tenant starts paying me rent, I can’t charge the old tenant for rent due while the new tenant is paying rent. I can’t collect double rent.</p>
<p>And in your daughter’s case, it sounds like she gave plenty of notice. What matters is what the lease says, and I think that is what would hold up in small claims court, not a verbal agreement. And even if the lease was extended in written form, it still may not be legal to keep the deposit if a new tenant has moved in.</p>
<p>But hopefully the deposit is tiny, or the landlord follows whatever state law is, and refunds it if required. If she re-rented the place already starting Aug 1st, it would be hard to argue that she suffered damages when she has not lost rent.</p>
<p>sounds like landlord and tenant negotiated a satisfactory settlement that included tenant waiving any claim to sec dep; and I’m confident such a negotiated settlement is legal in all states, though I’d want it in writing.
well done to Op.</p>
<p>Thank you! This was in SLC, Utah , by the way. </p>
<p>I’m not clear on something, and though this is over, I’d sure like to better understand.
I get that on about June 12 the tenant told the LL they’d be leaving the end of August.
But then, due to the change of assignment the tenant decided to leave at the end of July. When did the tenant tell LL about the change- that it would be the end of July rather than the end of August?</p>
<p>No, the original lease was July 1, 2013 through June 30 2014. It was around June 1 D asked to extend to Aug 30 rather than July 1, then June 11 she got the August assignment, and they agreed on through July. </p>
<p>FWIW, their San Francisco deposit is $3,400! I think the SLC deposit was no more than $500.</p>
<p>Wow, $3400 is a hefty deposit. Luckily the SLC one is so much lower.</p>
<p>Has the landlord said she is going to keep the deposit, or are you guys just assuming it because she made such a fuss? If it hadn’t been mentioned, it might just be returned. Let’s hope, because $500 is a nice chunk of change. I can’t imagine keeping it for such a trivial matter, when I actually got about a 50 day notice. I personally think it would be theft to keep it, unless they damaged something. Then again, I’m a very conscientious landlord and always give people the benefit of the doubt. Especially when something is not under their control.</p>
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<p>Agreed. Unless the housing laws are different in the area concerned, there’s applicable damages beyond normal wear & tear, and/or the deposit was used in lieu of last month’s rent, the landlord is legally obligated to return the deposit at the end of the lease period. </p>
<p>Also agree that $500 isn’t normally considered chump change to be discounted/forgotten about. It certainly would be a large enough some for me to go to small claims court over…especially back in my student/early young professional days. </p>
<p>It was my understanding that landlord said they were not given “enough time” with regard to the change. I assumed $500 or less, because that was the rent. While her ability to blow it off might be thanks to us, I still have to keep in mind that this is my D’s issue, not mine. She is 24.She seems to be taking things seriously enough for me. For me and the hubs, it is totally worth $500 to be moving on. </p>
<p>Yeah, I know what you mean. You don’t want to make a big deal, because she is an adult and can choose to deal with it however she chooses. Would be a much bigger issue if it was the $3400 deposit!</p>
<p>Then again, I don’t know on what planet about 50 days is “not enough time” with regards to a change.</p>
<p>True that…</p>
<p>She/we can choose to deal…Like with the $1500 credit card charge for the botched move, which was credited back to our account today. Or seeing the place she is moving to, which she thinks she can afford, and is not SO bad. Not NEARLY as bad as MY first place after college, which I barely escaped with my life…</p>
<p>Sigh…is “which college” REALLY the big hurdle?</p>
<p>Not SO bad, with a $3400 deposit? Yikes! Maybe it just never stops. Then there are job issues, and grandchildren, and you can never stop worrying. Maybe senility is a partial blessing.</p>
<p>Yes, probably “which college” was the easiest problem.</p>
<p>“Not so bad, with a $3,400 deposit? Yikes!”</p>
<p>The other “shrinkchild” lives near Santa Monica. </p>
<p>SMH. :-? </p>
<p>You have some pricey babies, there!</p>