Last Month Rent/Security Deposit (lawyer, apartment, lease)

[doghead]

I had put this question in the renting section but wanted to see what more people thought so I'm posting here: What do most renters do regarding the last month of a lease if the renter has given the landlord 30 days notice that the tenant is leaving. Do most people use the security deposit as the last month? What happens when a renter is paying for two places at once? Wondering what the consensus is. I have a landlord that I don't trust too well.

[UpsonDowns]

I'm not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure that you can't skip out on the last month's rent because you don't trust the landlord to not refund your deposit. You have to sue for the deposit back after the fact if the landlord is unreasonable. That is, you can't act in anticipation of a problem.

It sucks. I don't trust my slumlord to return my deposit, either. She doesn't respond when there is a leak in the ceiling of her building, why would she bother returning my deposit?

[arussell]

You must pay the last month rent and upon leaving the landlord or staff will inspect the apartment. If all goes well, they will mail you a check to your new address. I summed up me giving the landlord back the apt in a fax letter. I reiterated the conversation, date and time and what we spoke about and gave a forwarding address to mail check. Receiving the fax transmittal is proof that it was sent to their office. You may also send it by certified letter. Bottom line, pay the rent--landlords are not responsible if you have to pay two rents at the same time.