Jerk Landlord Accidentally Reveals Why Some Landlords Never Give Back Your Deposit
Renting can be a nightmare. It’s bad enough watching the biggest portion of your paycheck disappear into the black hole that is your rent in the first place. But if you ever get the feeling that your landlord is actively scheming against you… well, you might actually be right.
Recently, this screenshot from someone who infiltrated a Facebook group for landlords has been inspiring people to share their renting horror stories and tips to avoid them.
One Twitter user posted this screenshot
Image credits: mitchysuch
The private group is run by a self-described “a**-kicking landlord of 8 rental properties,” who strives to maintain a group where landlords can gather “for support and to save others [their] lessons learned.”
We’re not sure what it’s like in there, but this screenshot leaves us with a mental image of a round table of shadowy, stereotypical villains in capes twirling their mustaches and plotting the best ways to wring their tenants dry.
Here are some other Twitter users’ reactions
Image credits: paulbraterman
Image credits: emmseeeeee
Image credits: embirdened
Image credits: superboles
Image credits: upsidedwnworld
Image credits: xstar_girl
Image credits: herder_of_cats
Image credits: xstar_girl
Image credits: violiav
Image credits: WordWomanOW
Image credits: lauramariani
Image credits: greg_p_kennedy
Image credits: baphomet2k20
Image credits: jmkeep
Image credits: Cammie
If you pay rent to someone who meets the lowest bar of decency (isn’t raising your rent, takes responsibility for normal maintenance of the property that you’re already paying them to use, and is honest about where your security deposit is going), congratulations! You’re one of the lucky ones.
One property owner based in Scotland replied that in his country, security deposits must be held by a deposit service that requires proof of damage to withdraw them. This wouldn’t be good news for the almost 25% of landlords who admitted to having unfairly claimed renters’ security deposits in a survey by US real estate network Porch.
If you have some of your own stories about bizarre excuses landlords have given to get every last cent out of you before you left, some of the responses will show you that you’re not the only one, and that knowing the law where you live can be crucial if you don’t want to get scammed.
The screenshot was also shared on r/trashy
a security deposit, by definition, is to cover negligent damage (as opposed to "fair ware and tear" which will happen naturally over time eg wear marks in carpet where people walk all the time from room to room). It is NOT "the landlords" money to "refund" to the tenant. It is, by law, the TENANT'S money. If going to court / tribunal, if the landlord wants to keep any of the security deposit, THEY MUST PROVE WHY they are entitled to THE TENANT'S SECURITY DEPOSIT. Seriously, tenants need to know / learn their rights. Had a landlord threaten me with a $10,000 law suit, over non-existing "damage" to the old apartment I'd rented. The security deposit was $2400. He got $150 for 'cleaning' (ie extra dusting) (which was allowed, by law). Had I not known my rights, and had I listened to my naive roommate who believed the $10,000 threat, we would've lost our entire security deposit. Seriously fellow-tenants - do some googling & reading, before believing a managing agent / landlord.
Greedy people will always find ways to fill their pockets. That's why it is important for tenants (and any other consumers) to know their rights, and at the same time they have to show their landlord/landlady that they will not go down without a fight.
That landlord deserves karma - in the form of every future tenant he ever has leaving more damage than the deposit is worth. The fact that he does everything he can to find fault shows there is no point in his tenants trying to keep the place nice onces they decide to leave.
Load More Replies...My husband and I once had a problem with a landlord who wouldn't want to return our deposit just because they couldn't find any new tenants to replace us (in Korea, they must give back the deposit by law). We would be preparing to sue him, but thankfully, his wife intervened and told him to just give us back our money as he should. So we moved without any trouble.
Once upon a time my landlord tried to keep a $2000 deposit because of "damage" to the property, forgetting that I had got her to sign a document when we moved in noting all the already existing problems with the property and its condition. I got my damn deposit back! You have to protect yourselves, peeps, with photos and written descriptions and signatures wherever possible.
Reading about the US always makes me realize how lucky I am not to live in the US ...
ALWAYS take pictures, time-stamped, of the place the moment you sign the lease ---- when it's dead empty ---- and again when you leave. ALWAYS. I've gotten every security deposit back doing this. And get a definition for "normal wear and tear" written out. You are in *their* property, but that deposit is *your* money. I once saw someone denied their security deposit back after a drunk swerved off the road and into the rental unit, destroying it... As if that was the tenant's fault. Oh, and always check crime reports for the address. It's creepy what trouble you can avoid doing that.
Land of the free! This is what you get when you're afraid to have the government put things in laws to protect you. This wouldn't happen here. Tenants are well protected.
I'm guessing this is the US? In the UK we have a full online form to fill out if you want to keep the deposit due to dishonest landlords doing things like this.
It still blows my mind that this isn't regulated in the States. In Australia your bond goes to the Rental Bond Board and is held by them and the landlord never sees it. It will go automatically back to the tenant at the end of the lease unless the landlord can prove damages.
That's actually the law here in the U.S. too - it needs to be put in an interest-bearing escrow account - but a lot of people don't know this, or they know it but don't do it.s. And there's Housing Court if you have to go that far. My new landlords are very professional - when I got a mystery bank statement in the mail, I called the bank, and she confirmed it was my security deposit that the landlords created an account for, as they should.
Load More Replies...I think that it is ridiculous how messed up and greedy some landlords can be I have encountered three and it's because they have no integrity in this country nothing matter you can hike the prices up for rental even when it is a total dump the prices are too high people are finding it hard to find a place to live or becoming homeless they really need to fix this problem in this country the problem keeps on getting bigger for you shady landlords who are unfair your day is coming
Try to do that here in Sweden, and the authorities would have the land lords heart for barbecue.
Growing up my family rented my entire childhood. In the U.S. it seems there's a certain type of unpleasant human being that's drawn to the idea of being a landlord. Yeah, you'll never get that deposit back really. Last place i rented i didn't even bother cleaning up and just left a bunch trash behind. It was an openly known from past tenets that he never returns the deposit. I told him he can keep the deposit if he wanted.
He should be happy his tenants took such good care of the place instead of complaining about having to give the money back. He's not looking at the big picture. My bat-c**p-crazy former landlord always found a pretext to cheat tenants out of their deposit. I don't know anyone who got theirs back. The only reason I got mine is that the previous (nice) landlord never gave it to the bad landlord because she didn't know it existed. When I asked her advice she actually apologized and sent me a check for $370!
I had one landlord try to keep my deposit and Fine me after I moved out...then I found out that they had let another tenant move in before inspecting the thoroughly cleaned house. THAT tenant was a wreck, and was kicked out within a month- Having trashed the house I had left spotless... the landlord was trying to get ME to pay for their mistake. Luckily I had friends in high places that lived in the area, and after I sent a legal threat the landlord coughed up my deposit... claiming that it was "an honest mistake". BS buddy, you got caught! I'm so grateful that I don't have to rent anymore
I am guessing that the person who lived in my apartment before me wasn't exactly clean because even after maintenance cleaned the place there was still some dirty areas. I do my best to keep my unit clean, but I can't be blamed for someone else being a pig. Unless there is like total destruction of the apartment, the tenant should get their security deposit back.
Wow I never had an issue getting my deposit back. Neither has anyone I know. I don't know if our laws are better or the people just fairer...
We have been pretty lucky as we have only had one landlord take all our bond. They took it to get rid of rubbish that was left by previous tenants, to clear away the palm fronds on the front yard that had fallen from the rotten palm tree and to get rid of their rubbish from an old pergola they replaced. We were only young and it was our first rental so we didn’t know our rights properly and didn’t fight it. But we are more aware now and take photos of the house and write anything big or small on the inspection sheet. We have a great rental history and have always got our bond back ever since.
Always take tons of pictures of everything before you move you things into a rental property. There was not one time when we moved out that they didn't try to keep the deposit and I would ask them for proof of damages and then pull up the email I sent the property manager on the day we moved in and show them that the damages had been there from day one. One gave us back the deposit but charged us a $50 disposal fee for a pencil that was left at the top of the closet. F**k.
Ugh, I am soon going to have to find a rental situation and I dread this c**p. We have been in a house we owned and took care of for 19 years and I am going to dread being under someones thumb again. People say its better for society that we all live in apartments in cities but this kind of stuff really makes you want to own a cabin in the woods.
in some states, by-law, the owner is suppose to put the security deposit in an interest bearing savings acct, and the dep plus interest is to be returned to the renter when they leave. (minus damages)
I insist that my tenants purchase a bond to cover any damages. It costs them $100 and is purchased from a bonding company (not me) and covers up to $10,000 in damage. They walk away at the end of the lease and owe me nothing unless they have REALLY torn the place apart. I turn in any damage to the bonding company and am reimbursed. Routine turning of a property is not covered by the bond and is at my expense. Other than one tenant who painted the ceilings with black high gloss enamel and the kitchen cabinets bright red, I have not had to go after a tenant for damages because the bond covers most things. I think more landlords should use the damage bonds rather than collect a deposit. They can't cheat their tenants with a bond purchase.
I've managed rentals in Colorado and California. When people move in, they should take photos of every mark and blemish in the place, make a detailed list and have the property manager sign it -- they may not be there when the tenant moves out, to vouch that a window was cracked or blinds missing, or the kitchen was painted navy blue by former tenants. Tenants who don't receive their deposit need to go to Small Claims Court. In many states, such as California and Colorado, the burden of proof is on the property owner. If they don't provide a detailed bill within 30 days, they must return the deposit. If they don't, they can be sued for triple damages. If a tenant learns that the property manager likely won't return their deposit, line up a new place and instruct the old property manager to use the deposit toward the last month's rent.
A friend moved out of the apartment. She left a mirror behind. The landlord kept half of her deposit.
Been on both sides. I have owned and maintained rentals, and have rented myself. I cleaned rentals for income for years. People can really be pigs! But then again, cleaning is not everybody's forte. I felt badly for my last tenants but I could only give about a third of their deposit back: but she had health issues and could not keep up the property. They were good tenants (except for the cleaning part) and lived there for 6 years...that was worth a lot.
Depending on where you live, Small Claims Court can help you get your $$$ back.
Where I live the only deposit the landlord is legally allowed to ask for is the equivalent of last month's rent, the landlord must pay interest on it annually to the tenant and it can only be used as last month's rent or to offset monies owed , in the event an eviction or abandonment of the property has occurred. To keep it they still need to go to the tribunal and prove they are entitled to use if to offset monies owed, they can't make the decision on their own without notifying the tribunal that they are doing it, if they fail to do so, the property does not revert back to them, to be occupied by new tenants. All damages must be assessed separately and an order for payment must be issued or the landlord cannot collect and they never get it from the last month's rent deposit. My province has extensive legislation to protect both tenants and landlords from attempting to screw each other.
That's crazy! I'm a landlord and I ALWAYS provide a list of the damaged items, take photos & return the leftover deposit money. I even say "well, that piece of furniture was pretty old anyway, only going to charge x (much smaller sum) instead of what it would cost to replace it." Taking a deposit (unless it's a non-refundable pet deposit) without damages is straight up theft in my book.
After losing my deposit at college one year after cleaning It meticulously with my dad, he wasn't having It again! We cleaned, then went to the office. He told them he wanted to go on the inspection with them. The receptionist said they were out and that they wouldn't be back for quite a while. I suppose this usually gets the few that ask this to leave. My dad smiles very sweetly and says " Oh, no worries!" He pulls a paperback from his back pocket and says "I'm happy to wait. I'm only on chapter two!" After about forty five minutes, the guy came from the back and took Dad on the inspection. We got our deposit back🤣
I guess I was fortunate. Not only being an excellent tenant; e.g. never late, often early with the rent, no damage, never had a complaint; I did also keep good records should something have come up. I always got my full deposits back during the 80s and 90s. Whew! I was lucky!
"I was a property manager for 8years and most people got their deposits back". You see what you did wrong? Normally you can retire off the profits within 5years.
I have never received a security door back. My mother in law was a professional cleaner and we left that place in great condition even though it was for nothing. Lol.
In the US here. Never ever pay the last months rent. Period. Get your next apartment 30+ days in advance of the current one. Then when rent is due, let them know you are providing the rent in the form of the deposit. If they dont like that, they can hire a lawyer. And good f*****g luck with that because I used a fake ID and fake references to get this apartment in the first place. Any static ftom the landlord and I will strip his place of copper and leave it a shithole. Once one called me a nasty name and I put two 30-06 rounds in the engine block of his wifes lexus from two hundred yards out. You f**k with the bull you get the horns.
Why did they do that? Do you have a bad or disrespectful reputation?
Load More Replies...a security deposit, by definition, is to cover negligent damage (as opposed to "fair ware and tear" which will happen naturally over time eg wear marks in carpet where people walk all the time from room to room). It is NOT "the landlords" money to "refund" to the tenant. It is, by law, the TENANT'S money. If going to court / tribunal, if the landlord wants to keep any of the security deposit, THEY MUST PROVE WHY they are entitled to THE TENANT'S SECURITY DEPOSIT. Seriously, tenants need to know / learn their rights. Had a landlord threaten me with a $10,000 law suit, over non-existing "damage" to the old apartment I'd rented. The security deposit was $2400. He got $150 for 'cleaning' (ie extra dusting) (which was allowed, by law). Had I not known my rights, and had I listened to my naive roommate who believed the $10,000 threat, we would've lost our entire security deposit. Seriously fellow-tenants - do some googling & reading, before believing a managing agent / landlord.
Greedy people will always find ways to fill their pockets. That's why it is important for tenants (and any other consumers) to know their rights, and at the same time they have to show their landlord/landlady that they will not go down without a fight.
That landlord deserves karma - in the form of every future tenant he ever has leaving more damage than the deposit is worth. The fact that he does everything he can to find fault shows there is no point in his tenants trying to keep the place nice onces they decide to leave.
Load More Replies...My husband and I once had a problem with a landlord who wouldn't want to return our deposit just because they couldn't find any new tenants to replace us (in Korea, they must give back the deposit by law). We would be preparing to sue him, but thankfully, his wife intervened and told him to just give us back our money as he should. So we moved without any trouble.
Once upon a time my landlord tried to keep a $2000 deposit because of "damage" to the property, forgetting that I had got her to sign a document when we moved in noting all the already existing problems with the property and its condition. I got my damn deposit back! You have to protect yourselves, peeps, with photos and written descriptions and signatures wherever possible.
Reading about the US always makes me realize how lucky I am not to live in the US ...
ALWAYS take pictures, time-stamped, of the place the moment you sign the lease ---- when it's dead empty ---- and again when you leave. ALWAYS. I've gotten every security deposit back doing this. And get a definition for "normal wear and tear" written out. You are in *their* property, but that deposit is *your* money. I once saw someone denied their security deposit back after a drunk swerved off the road and into the rental unit, destroying it... As if that was the tenant's fault. Oh, and always check crime reports for the address. It's creepy what trouble you can avoid doing that.
Land of the free! This is what you get when you're afraid to have the government put things in laws to protect you. This wouldn't happen here. Tenants are well protected.
I'm guessing this is the US? In the UK we have a full online form to fill out if you want to keep the deposit due to dishonest landlords doing things like this.
It still blows my mind that this isn't regulated in the States. In Australia your bond goes to the Rental Bond Board and is held by them and the landlord never sees it. It will go automatically back to the tenant at the end of the lease unless the landlord can prove damages.
That's actually the law here in the U.S. too - it needs to be put in an interest-bearing escrow account - but a lot of people don't know this, or they know it but don't do it.s. And there's Housing Court if you have to go that far. My new landlords are very professional - when I got a mystery bank statement in the mail, I called the bank, and she confirmed it was my security deposit that the landlords created an account for, as they should.
Load More Replies...I think that it is ridiculous how messed up and greedy some landlords can be I have encountered three and it's because they have no integrity in this country nothing matter you can hike the prices up for rental even when it is a total dump the prices are too high people are finding it hard to find a place to live or becoming homeless they really need to fix this problem in this country the problem keeps on getting bigger for you shady landlords who are unfair your day is coming
Try to do that here in Sweden, and the authorities would have the land lords heart for barbecue.
Growing up my family rented my entire childhood. In the U.S. it seems there's a certain type of unpleasant human being that's drawn to the idea of being a landlord. Yeah, you'll never get that deposit back really. Last place i rented i didn't even bother cleaning up and just left a bunch trash behind. It was an openly known from past tenets that he never returns the deposit. I told him he can keep the deposit if he wanted.
He should be happy his tenants took such good care of the place instead of complaining about having to give the money back. He's not looking at the big picture. My bat-c**p-crazy former landlord always found a pretext to cheat tenants out of their deposit. I don't know anyone who got theirs back. The only reason I got mine is that the previous (nice) landlord never gave it to the bad landlord because she didn't know it existed. When I asked her advice she actually apologized and sent me a check for $370!
I had one landlord try to keep my deposit and Fine me after I moved out...then I found out that they had let another tenant move in before inspecting the thoroughly cleaned house. THAT tenant was a wreck, and was kicked out within a month- Having trashed the house I had left spotless... the landlord was trying to get ME to pay for their mistake. Luckily I had friends in high places that lived in the area, and after I sent a legal threat the landlord coughed up my deposit... claiming that it was "an honest mistake". BS buddy, you got caught! I'm so grateful that I don't have to rent anymore
I am guessing that the person who lived in my apartment before me wasn't exactly clean because even after maintenance cleaned the place there was still some dirty areas. I do my best to keep my unit clean, but I can't be blamed for someone else being a pig. Unless there is like total destruction of the apartment, the tenant should get their security deposit back.
Wow I never had an issue getting my deposit back. Neither has anyone I know. I don't know if our laws are better or the people just fairer...
We have been pretty lucky as we have only had one landlord take all our bond. They took it to get rid of rubbish that was left by previous tenants, to clear away the palm fronds on the front yard that had fallen from the rotten palm tree and to get rid of their rubbish from an old pergola they replaced. We were only young and it was our first rental so we didn’t know our rights properly and didn’t fight it. But we are more aware now and take photos of the house and write anything big or small on the inspection sheet. We have a great rental history and have always got our bond back ever since.
Always take tons of pictures of everything before you move you things into a rental property. There was not one time when we moved out that they didn't try to keep the deposit and I would ask them for proof of damages and then pull up the email I sent the property manager on the day we moved in and show them that the damages had been there from day one. One gave us back the deposit but charged us a $50 disposal fee for a pencil that was left at the top of the closet. F**k.
Ugh, I am soon going to have to find a rental situation and I dread this c**p. We have been in a house we owned and took care of for 19 years and I am going to dread being under someones thumb again. People say its better for society that we all live in apartments in cities but this kind of stuff really makes you want to own a cabin in the woods.
in some states, by-law, the owner is suppose to put the security deposit in an interest bearing savings acct, and the dep plus interest is to be returned to the renter when they leave. (minus damages)
I insist that my tenants purchase a bond to cover any damages. It costs them $100 and is purchased from a bonding company (not me) and covers up to $10,000 in damage. They walk away at the end of the lease and owe me nothing unless they have REALLY torn the place apart. I turn in any damage to the bonding company and am reimbursed. Routine turning of a property is not covered by the bond and is at my expense. Other than one tenant who painted the ceilings with black high gloss enamel and the kitchen cabinets bright red, I have not had to go after a tenant for damages because the bond covers most things. I think more landlords should use the damage bonds rather than collect a deposit. They can't cheat their tenants with a bond purchase.
I've managed rentals in Colorado and California. When people move in, they should take photos of every mark and blemish in the place, make a detailed list and have the property manager sign it -- they may not be there when the tenant moves out, to vouch that a window was cracked or blinds missing, or the kitchen was painted navy blue by former tenants. Tenants who don't receive their deposit need to go to Small Claims Court. In many states, such as California and Colorado, the burden of proof is on the property owner. If they don't provide a detailed bill within 30 days, they must return the deposit. If they don't, they can be sued for triple damages. If a tenant learns that the property manager likely won't return their deposit, line up a new place and instruct the old property manager to use the deposit toward the last month's rent.
A friend moved out of the apartment. She left a mirror behind. The landlord kept half of her deposit.
Been on both sides. I have owned and maintained rentals, and have rented myself. I cleaned rentals for income for years. People can really be pigs! But then again, cleaning is not everybody's forte. I felt badly for my last tenants but I could only give about a third of their deposit back: but she had health issues and could not keep up the property. They were good tenants (except for the cleaning part) and lived there for 6 years...that was worth a lot.
Depending on where you live, Small Claims Court can help you get your $$$ back.
Where I live the only deposit the landlord is legally allowed to ask for is the equivalent of last month's rent, the landlord must pay interest on it annually to the tenant and it can only be used as last month's rent or to offset monies owed , in the event an eviction or abandonment of the property has occurred. To keep it they still need to go to the tribunal and prove they are entitled to use if to offset monies owed, they can't make the decision on their own without notifying the tribunal that they are doing it, if they fail to do so, the property does not revert back to them, to be occupied by new tenants. All damages must be assessed separately and an order for payment must be issued or the landlord cannot collect and they never get it from the last month's rent deposit. My province has extensive legislation to protect both tenants and landlords from attempting to screw each other.
That's crazy! I'm a landlord and I ALWAYS provide a list of the damaged items, take photos & return the leftover deposit money. I even say "well, that piece of furniture was pretty old anyway, only going to charge x (much smaller sum) instead of what it would cost to replace it." Taking a deposit (unless it's a non-refundable pet deposit) without damages is straight up theft in my book.
After losing my deposit at college one year after cleaning It meticulously with my dad, he wasn't having It again! We cleaned, then went to the office. He told them he wanted to go on the inspection with them. The receptionist said they were out and that they wouldn't be back for quite a while. I suppose this usually gets the few that ask this to leave. My dad smiles very sweetly and says " Oh, no worries!" He pulls a paperback from his back pocket and says "I'm happy to wait. I'm only on chapter two!" After about forty five minutes, the guy came from the back and took Dad on the inspection. We got our deposit back🤣
I guess I was fortunate. Not only being an excellent tenant; e.g. never late, often early with the rent, no damage, never had a complaint; I did also keep good records should something have come up. I always got my full deposits back during the 80s and 90s. Whew! I was lucky!
"I was a property manager for 8years and most people got their deposits back". You see what you did wrong? Normally you can retire off the profits within 5years.
I have never received a security door back. My mother in law was a professional cleaner and we left that place in great condition even though it was for nothing. Lol.
In the US here. Never ever pay the last months rent. Period. Get your next apartment 30+ days in advance of the current one. Then when rent is due, let them know you are providing the rent in the form of the deposit. If they dont like that, they can hire a lawyer. And good f*****g luck with that because I used a fake ID and fake references to get this apartment in the first place. Any static ftom the landlord and I will strip his place of copper and leave it a shithole. Once one called me a nasty name and I put two 30-06 rounds in the engine block of his wifes lexus from two hundred yards out. You f**k with the bull you get the horns.
Why did they do that? Do you have a bad or disrespectful reputation?
Load More Replies...
138
48