Moving out of an apartment is one of the biggest headaches any tenant could go through. When you feel like you’ve done everything in your power to get your security deposit back, now is the time to speak to your landlord. In many cases, they will be lenient about returning your deposit, but sometimes they withhold it for various reasons. So what do you do when this happens? Continue reading below for Champion Mover’s tips on the best practices when dealing with attempting to retrieve your deposit from your landlord.
What to Do When Your Deposit is Withheld
Exercise Your Rights
Sometimes, tenants are hit with a big bill to shell out for hidden charges. When this happens, talk to a lawyer so they can tell you about your rights. All states have different laws about tenants and landlords, and in many cases, there is a law that can give you leeways on those charges. Don’t let your landlord bully you, set-up a consultation with a lawyer now.
Respect Your Landlord
Okay, this might be the last thing you want to happen, but being respectful goes a long way. Still, try not to make a big deal of small issues. Instead, find ways to communicate the problem without aggravating them quickly. Some tenants go the long way to write nasty notes to their landlords and file their cases in small claims court. Of course, this could work against you when the judge reads your unprofessional note. All in all, be courteous about the entire exchange.
Share Your Experience to the Public
If you don’t think you’ll receive the deposit back, share your experience online. Warn others about what happened so it doesn’t repeat. Review websites like Yellowpages and Yelp are available to the public so everyone can read about them. Still, we don’t suggest you exaggerate the experience as you can run on some legal issues. Be truthful about it!