Help! Landlord has not responded about returning my security deposit (apartment, lease)

[danithegirl_]

After the first year of living in my apartment my lease ended and my landlord never made my roommate and I sign a new one. A year later, after paying month-to-month I moved out and my roommate decided to stay and get a new roommate. It was her decision to not tell the landlord about me moving out and her friend moving in.

I told her that if she wanted to do that she would have to have her new roommate pay me her half of the security deposit. The landlord found out somehow and is now making the new roommate submit the security deposit to him and she refuses to pay me. The landlord has not responded about returning my half of my security deposit to me.

I did not break any lease and he's accepting this new roommate into the apartment and not giving me money back. Is there anything I can do?

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by danithegirl_

After the first year of living in my apartment my lease ended
and my landlord never made my roommate and I sign a new one.

Was he supposed to?
Commonly (preferably) most leases will automatically continue as a M2M arrangement.

A year later, after paying month-to-month I moved out
and my roommate decided to stay and get a new roommate.

It was her decision to not tell the landlord about me moving out and her friend moving in.

Nope. You LET HER make that decision and just hoped for the best.

I told her that if she wanted to do that she would have to have her new roommate pay me
her half of the security deposit.

Oh... so you like to just make it up as you go along too?

The landlord found out somehow ...

Those tricky devils!

...and is now making the new roommate submit the security deposit to him
and she refuses to pay me.

Good for her and for him too.

The landlord has not responded about returning my half of my security deposit to me.

The question to focus on is getting released from that old lease contract.

Is there anything I can do?

Wait until the dust settles from the new roomie moving in
and for the LL to check for damages. If all is well he'll likely refund you.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

The landlord does not return any deposit to anyone until after the unit is completely vacant and the keys and possession returned to the landlord.

You'll have to work out your deposit issues with your ex roommate. It's not the landlord's problem.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

By the way, you'd better get something in writing from the landlord that you are out and your obligation is ended. Otherwise, your name is on the contract and that contract stays valid until the landlord gets his property back. You didn't even tell the landlord you were moving out. You could still be named in an eviction or charged for damage.

[LLinVA]

You need to talk to the landlord. Ask him since they are signing a new lease, can that end your lease so you can get your deposit back. See what he says.

You did mess up by not telling him you were moving out, and made it worse by having someone he had never screened move in, but if he is moving forward with them on a new lease and getting more of a security deposit, now is the time to try to wrap things up with properly with him.