Q: The check they sent for my rental deposit bounced and I accrued a bank fee. When should a lawyer get involved?
It took three months after I moved out to get the original check (supposedly due to change of management). After that check bounced, they claimed they were sending a replacement. It has now been another two months without my deposit.
A:
Your lease agreement should anticipate bounced checks and specify how it is cured. If it doesn't, you should probably have a lawyer look over your lease and explore drafting a new one.
For the present situation, I would send the tenants a bill for the deposit plus the amount of bank fees you were charged and inform the tenants that failure to pay is likely a breach of the lease and can result in eviction.
All of this is without reviewing your lease, and my advice could change should I have been able to review it.
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