Q: I live in San Francisco. The main tenant of the house I wanted to rent the first floor from asked me for $900 to hold it
I gave her the deposit in mid-November to move in before the 15th of December. I might have found something else at a better rate. Since I was not supposed to move in before the 15th, is she entitle to keep the amount which was half of the rent for December? And since she's only the main tenant and not the landlord, is it legal? What does the law say in CA?
A:
The law says your written agreement controls who gets the money. Be sure you have a written agreement whenever you pay more than $10 to anyone for a future act. You can stand to lose $10, but $900 hurts.
Justia disclaimers below, incorporated herein.
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.
