Can Landlord Keep Security Deposit transferred to New Apartment in renewed lease/ (Washington: apartments)

[wen883]

I work for the Federal government. I am on a temporary assignment. I, through a lease, rented an apartment for 3 months. I gave a 45 day Intent-to-Vacant Notice, though a 30-day notice was required. I notified management the this temporary assignment may be extended. However, I was submitting the Inten-to-Vacate Notice in case that did not occur. I was told management would work with me. Approximately 2 1/2 weeks before move-out date, the temporary assignment was extended. I immediately notified management. The apartment, unfortunately, had been rented out. The complex had another apartment, smaller size, available. I was told this would be a renewed lease, just with a different apartment. I signed a new month-to-month lease (since the original lease had been fulfilled) beginning the day after the original lease expired. To my dismay, when I stopped at the Office the afternoon before the move to check when the apartment keys could be exchanged, I found that the management had never reserved the elevator for the move as was under the impression had been done at the meeting where the new lease was signed and moving arrangements made. There was a discussion concerning the move because the lease ended in the original apartment on the 2nd of the month. The lease renewal began on the 3rd. Since this was a "lease renewal" I would be permitted to move into the new apartment on the 2nd. Due to the lack of elevator access, the stay in the original apartment was extended until the 6th - the first available day for elevator use.The original security deposit was applied to the new apartment. The new apartment month's rent was immediately paid. Outstanding charges were received on the original apartment, such as the additional 3-days rent, first month's utilities and what appeared to be parking fees. Parking fees show on each of the bills provided at the time of my original stay though reserved parking was only used first week of original rental. I had called the "community services" number and questioned the amount of bills outstanding. The first month's utilities in addition to actual month's utilities were explained to me. I again questioned the amount due to parking fees. No response was sent via emails nor phone calls or mail. I routinely watched the billing on the original apartment. I found these charges increased. These fees that were $502 had now become $556. I called "community services" again about this billing and was told that the actual bill included "clean sweep" apartment cleaning (a charge I knew nothing about. I took a day off work to thoroughly clean original apartment) and associated charges. I'm not sure what these charges are. I have not received an itemized list. I was told my customer service that the bill totaled was reduced by my security deposit ($350). I informed "community services" that viable bills would be paid by the government credit card that had made all payments, to date. I have been charged $75 a month for paying by credit card. This fee was never disclosed before it was added on. The security deposit was personal funds. Refundable charges cannot be paid by the government credit card. "Community Services" was informed that full payment would be made for all outstanding charges by government credit card, after security deposit was returned. I've had this conversation numerous times and am told every time that the security deposit will not be returned. Part of the original first month's rent was a $500 "Community Access" fee, for the use of the weight/exercise room. I was told this was a yearly fee charged to each of the renters. I had paid this fee on the original apartment's first month's rent though due to my handicap, I have never used these facilities. The $500 charge was added onto the first month's rent of the new apartment. I questioned this as it's to be a yearly fee. I was informed that it's always included on a new lease. So... after all that... will my security deposit that was to be transferred to the new apartment not be reimbursed. Will I have to pay $1000 for a stated yearly $500 fee because apartments were changed? My understanding of the Washington D.C. Rental Housing Act of 1985 (DC Law 6-10) as amended (the Act) which is codified at DC Official Code "SS" 42-3501.01 et seq., per Housing Regulations of the District of Columbia as establish by Commissioner's Order No 55-1503, effective August 11, 1955 is that the outstanding fees from original apartment aren't considered "outstanding" because I am still an active resident and charges are being questioned. In addition, since current lease is and extension of the original, I cannot be billed the same yearly charge twice.

[DCforever]

Contact these guys. https://ota.dc.gov/

[spencgr]

paragraphs, please.