Non refundable security deposit ohio (lease, tenant, rental, non-refundable)

[Mat4066]

Hopefully someone responds quickly to this because I only have until 8/31 to pay. But anyway here's my dilemma.. I took over a lease for a friend. She and her roommate had paid a $99 nonrefundable security deposit when they signed the lease. Now that my roommate an I have move out, we received letter saying we owed over a hundred dollars in cleaning and repair costs. Our security deposit was not being applied to that at all so it said we owe the full balance. When I went to the rental office, the woman told me she didn't deal with that kind of thing but that it wasn't exactly a deposit, it was more like a fee. Is this legal that they at charging a fee and calling it a deposit?? I understand that I wasn't going to be getting that money but t should have been applied to the cleaning costs. How can they keep the deposit, not apply it to the charges, and charge us the total amount? There has to be something wrong with that.

[ShaneSA]

Read the lease and see what/how exactly the $99 was to be applied. The lease is the key. If you took over the lease and your name is on it, your liable for what the lease says.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by Mat4066

I took over a lease for a friend.

Cue the music...

She and her roommate had paid a $99 nonrefundable security deposit when they signed the lease.
Is this legal that they at charging a fee and calling it a deposit??

If the signed lease uses the term "non-refundable"... probably so.

[Mat4066]

Well I get that it's nonrefundable. I'm not expecting the money back.. I just think it should be applied to the cleaning costs so I don't owe the entire balance. But yes, thanks, I'll have to meet with her and ask to see the lease because I can't find my copy that would make life easier if I had it to begin with. Thanks!

[bentlebee]

If it was called non- refundable security deposit than it has to be used towards the cleaning and the cost being deducted unless it was specified to be an application or some other fee...

I don't think it is even legal to call it a non refundable security deposit because it is contradicting....

We also have non refundable security deposit BUT it is limited to the time frame prior to move in. If a tenant changes their mind than we won't refund the security deposit since we consider it a holding deposit until they move in when it becomes refundable otherwise you can't call it security deposit.