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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    2

    Question My roommate kept part of my deposit

    I live in Virginia and used to live in a house with 4 people and our lease ended so I moved out...the rest stayed and found a new roommate...when I came by the house to get my deposit back from the new tenant I received a letter with my deposit saying that the new roommate wrote the check to one of my old roommates (instead of to me) who deducted $200 from the original amount.
    The letter stated that during a party one of my friends had clogged the toilet and he (the roommate) had paid to fix it so he was charging me for it. Well, there were a lot of people at that party we so we don't know who clogged it, no one ever contacted the landlord before my roommate called the plummer, and he paid for it w/o telling me he was going to charge me later. It wasnt even my bathroom!
    Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knows if my old roommate is legally allowed to keep part of my deposit, essp since he did not tell me he was going to charge me for something? Is it legal for the new roommate to write MY deposit check to another roommate instead of to me? Should I take him to court?

    I could relaly use come help...this was so unexpected

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    28,906

    Default Re: My roommate kept part of my deposit

    If you don't owe money for the repair, then from what you say you should get your deposit back. If your money is being wrongfully withheld, you may have to take your ex-roommate to small claims court to resolve the dispute.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    2

    Default Re: My roommate kept part of my deposit

    That is what I thought..but it just got more complicated...Now aparently my roommate is going to countersue me for a month rent and the rest of the deposit and his reason is that I didnt give them enough notice before moving out...well,
    not only did they find a roommate a month before i moved out so they didnt lose any money, but I gave them 2 months, and its not like i broke the lease, the lease ended and I just chose not to renew it...i told them as soon as i was asked to live in the house i am living in now...

    does he have a case?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    28,906

    Default Re: My roommate kept part of my deposit

    If your share of the rent was always either covered by you or by the subsequent roommate, they don't have a valid claim for rent. Make sure, though, if you go to court that you have witnesses who can verify your version of events.

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