deposit return? (Tampa: apartments, foreclose, rentals)

[Allwyna]

I have been renting my (furnished) apartment here in Tampa... for a year (already? ).

I have a landlord, but it has been rented by the management company. I signed a lease and now it is a month-to-month rental. But they didn't do any apartment condition or inventory when I moved in.

Because the management fought with the owner, now they decided not to manage it anymore. I would like to leave, I have a bad feeling. But I am worried about my deposit.

Anyone can tell me if landlords here USUALLY return the deposits? I was in Cancun before, and lost THREE, until I decided not to pay the last month. It is well-known there that they don't, and it is impossible to retrieve them, the cost of a lawyer is too high. I trusted that the management company wouldn't scam me. They are going to send my deposit to the landlord.

Any experience with this topic?
I thank you very much

[Eastern Roamer]

Sure, I've gotten deposits back by leaving the place like I found it. That means cleaning everything, including the places you hate to clean - the oven, the shower, the ceiling fans. You have to vacuum the carpet and clean the tile or hardwood, wipe down the base-boards. And you have to take everything out with you. If you leave the place nearly ready for the next person to move in, the landlord will be glad to give you your deposit back... assuming you give proper notice, which is spelled out in your lease and it typically 60 days, but the I think the law says only 30 days when you're on month-to-month.

This law firm puts a lot of free content on their site including the complete landlord/tenant law: http://evict.com/

[bentlebee]

Originally Posted by Allwyna

I have been renting my (furnished) apartment here in Tampa... for a year (already? ).

I have a landlord, but it has been rented by the management company. I signed a lease and now it is a month-to-month rental. But they didn't do any apartment condition or inventory when I moved in.

Because the management fought with the owner, now they decided not to manage it anymore. I would like to leave, I have a bad feeling. But I am worried about my deposit.

Anyone can tell me if landlords here USUALLY return the deposits? I was in Cancun before, and lost THREE, until I decided not to pay the last month. It is well-known there that they don't, and it is impossible to retrieve them, the cost of a lawyer is too high. I trusted that the management company wouldn't scam me. They are going to send my deposit to the landlord.

Any experience with this topic?
I thank you very much

If the management company managed than they should ahve the security deposit and I don't think they will like to get a bad name in court.

Are you sure they didn't do the move in inspection. We mostly don't do it with the tenant together. We have everything documented and have pictures ( many) to proof what it looked like on the move in date)...We tell the tenant to check everything and give us in writing what they think need attention or anything that they want to be noted for later on. Some do it many don't.

Today we received a list from a tenant with some items we couldn't know or only showed up when a tenant moves in and lives there. We knew the fridge worked but didn't know how well.

The previous tenant left the place after over 2 years of being a good tenant...in one of the worst and dirtiest conditions. That is why he didn't want any showings and agreed at first not to get his security deposit back, which indeed he didn't.

We had to throw out the carpets, needed to haul of what he left behind, paint the place with special paint since he smoked inside while that was noted in his lease as not allowed...etc....that is probably why being in his thirties he was still single. Just a friendly dirty man...

We spent a lot of money to fix the place but always there will be some small items that need attention when a tenant is moving in.

I think a tenant who has proof of good behavior and leaving the place as it was minus normal wear and tear, has a bigger chance of collecting in small claims court as the LL. The LL can win but has a harder time to collect. The tenant can in the end foreclose on the house...or at least put a lien on the house, most LL won't like that...most tenants have nothing than the stuff they move around and their clothes.

[Allwyna]

Thanks for your input. I gave you the general idea, but it seems that I have to adjust better to the country.

I own 2 apartments that I rent: 1 in Paris and now one in Cancun. I am here, so I have someone that manages them. To avoid any further issues, my manager is there with the tenant for the check-in/check-out and THEY BOTH SIGN the condition and the inventory. I know exactly in what condition my fridge, washer/dryer etc.... are. And they are all new, even after a few tenants.

I entered here a VERY dirty apartment, with a lot of things that were not working (the microwave is at least 50 years old...). The management made me sign a paper with the list. But the apartment was full of their stuff and I couldn't unpack (I came with my clothes, linens, but also 2 computers and a lot of electronics, I didn't know what I was going to find, my car was fully loaded). The management asked a guy to remove all that, to clean (a bit), but didn't say where to put it. Nobody has ever found it later. And there is a huge turnover in the company.

So who is going to prove anything? I am a clean and neat person, and nothing is worth my stealing, I pay my bills. I know exactly why the management doesn't want to take care of it (I am in very good relationship) and that worries me, the guy told me he has to give the deposit to the owner at the end of their agreement.

I didn't think about small claims, I am not familiar with that.

Thanks again, any help is welcome to a new comer.

PS I have pictures of how the bed and coach were collapsing and some other damages...

[rezfreak]

I would recommend at all future rentals to avoid a situation like this to completely document the items left in the house and the condition - both with pictures and words and have the management office/landlord sign off.