My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: NEW JERSEY, MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
TENANT SIGNED APLICATION AND LEASE ON THE FIRST OF THE MONTH. NEEDING A PLACE TO STAY THEY WERE HANDED THE KEYS, AFTER POSTING AN ADVANCE DEPOSIT (43% OF RENT VALUE) AND A PROMISE TO PAY THE BALANCE NEXT DAY.
A FEW HOURS LATER, BETWEEN 9PM AND 10PM, THEY CALLED AND SAID THEY CHANGED THEIR MINDS, THEY NEEDED A BIGGER UNIT, THEIR FURNITURE DID NOT FIT IN AND THE APARTMENT WAS INFESTED. I TOLD THEM THEY HAD A SIGNED CONTRACT, OTHER PEOPLE HAD BIGGER FURNITURE AND TV UNITS AND I DID NOT SEE ROACHES AS THEY CLAIMED, BUT PROMISED TO FUMIGATE. THEY DID NOT ACCEPT AND ASKED FOR A RETURN OF THEIR MONEY IMMEDIATELY. I PROMISED TO HELP IF THEY HAND BACK THE KEYS, AS I TOLD THEM IT WAS THE ONLY SET AVAILABLE. THEY TOLD ME THAT I WAS SUSPECTED OF KEEPING THEIR DEPOSIT AND NEW TENANTS' MONEY AND REFUSED TO HAND IT THE KEYS.
SAME STORY THE NEXT DAY, FURTHERMORE I WAS TOLD I WAS BEING SUED. ON THE EVENING OF THE SECOND DAY, THEY CALLED AND SAID THEY WERE HANDING THE KEYS THROUGH A RELATIVE. AM I RIGHT IN HOLDING THE DEPOSIT? THEY WENT IN THERE 3 TIMES THE VERY FIRST DAY TO LOOK INTO THE APARTMENT. THEY COMMITTED TO SIGN IT AND NEGOTIATED DOWN THE PRICE OF THE LEASE.
WHAT CAN I TELL THE JUDGE? I HEARD I SHOULD HOLD ONTO THE DEPOSIT.
THE CONTRACT DOES NOT INCLUDE A WAY OUT IN CASE SOMEBODY CHANGES HIS/HER MIND. THE TENANTS SAY THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS FOR 72 HOURS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS

