Saint Louis, MO asked in Landlord - Tenant for Missouri

Q: Can my old landlord hold my deposit because I rented one my rooms on airbnb?

On the lease, it was stated that if I share the passcode for the apartment with someone they can terminate my lease (which they did and I left the apartment just in 7 days because of the short notice).

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1 Lawyer Answer
Ronald J. Eisenberg
Ronald J. Eisenberg
Answered
  • Landlord Tenant Lawyer
  • Chesterfield, MO
  • Licensed in Missouri

A: Read your lease carefully. The security deposit is generally supposed to be used to cover damages and, if the lease so states, for any sums due. I'm not sure whether under your lease you incurred sums due to your landlord on account of breaching the lease by renting out the room. If you believe you are in the right, then you could file suit in small claims court. But beware that most leases have one-sided attorney's fee provisions. That would mean that if you sue and lose you will have to pay your landlord's reasonable attorney's fees. Tread carefully.

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