Q: My lease ended June 26. But I moved to Baltimore around April 10th I told my landlord that. She told me the sooner
I moved my things out she could get someone else to move in. So I moved out April 30th but still paid my rent for may. She found someone to move in the may 11th I believe. She said I will get partial of my may rent back. But I will not get my security deposit.
A: The landlord cannot keep the security deposit if she suffered no loss of rent or other damages to the apartment. Put a request for return of the security deposit in writing, setting forth the address where to mail it to (so she can't claim she didn't know where to send it). In Maryland, failure to return a security deposit or to provide a written accounting of the damages being withheld within 45 days of the end of the tenancy forfeits the right of the landlord to retain any part of it, and further entitles the tenant to up to 3 times the amount of the deposit as damages. You may have to file a small claims action in District Court to get your money, so make a copy of the written request for return of your deposit. Make it simple: just ask for return of the deposit, and your new mailing address. Then attach that to your complaint when she fails to respond.
1 user found this answer helpful
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
