International student got ripped of by landlord :(

[sam_999]

Hello everyone,

I was living in jersey city and my landlord refused to return my security deposit, he thought i am leaving the country and he can rip me off easily. I am now in New York. I have the contract, security receipt, and telephone messaging communication that proved that he did not pay my deposit. To be more specific, the contract until end of December, but i had phone call with him and he agreed that i can leave early December and we will come up with mutually gratified solution. We talked and agreed that he will return one month security deposit and keep half month, he texted me and told me that he will come tomorrow morning to give me the money and asked me to write a letter that i received the deposit, then he never show up!


thank you in advance!
Sam

 

[Just Blue]

Hello everyone,

I was living in jersey city and my landlord refused to return my security deposit, he thought i am leaving the country and he can rip me off easily. I am now in New York. I have the contract, security receipt, and telephone messaging communication that proved that he did not pay my deposit. To be more specific, the contract until end of December, but i had phone call with him and he agreed that i can leave early December and we will come up with mutually gratified solution. We talked and agreed that he will return one month security deposit and keep half month, he texted me and told me that he will come tomorrow morning to give me the money and asked me to write a letter that i received the deposit, then he never show up!


thank you in advance!
Sam

Do you have any of this in writing?

 

[sam_999]

Do you have any of this in writing?

Yes i still keep all his text messages

 

[BL]

http://landlords.about.com/od/LegalIssues/a/New-Jersey-Security-Deposit-Law.htm

 

[Daley]

http://landlords.about.com/od/LegalIssues/a/New-Jersey-Security-Deposit-Law.htm

Interesting; they can keep unpaid rent but in CA, they cannot.

 

[justalayman]

Interesting; they can keep unpaid rent but in CA, they cannot.

they can retain any or all of a security deposit for the payment of delinquent rent in California.


http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/sec-deposit.shtml

California law specifically allows the landlord to use a tenant's security deposit for four purposes:

For unpaid rent;
For cleaning the rental unit when the tenant moves out, but only to make the unit as clean as it was when the tenant first moved in;214
For repair of damages, other than normal wear and tear, caused by the tenant or the tenant's guests; and
If the lease or rental agreement allows it, for the cost of restoring or replacing furniture, furnishings, or other items of personal property (including keys), other than because of normal wear and tear.215

but why would one bring up California in a thread dealing with an issue on the other side of the country?

 

[LdiJ]

they can retain any or all of a security deposit for the payment of delinquent rent in California.


http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/sec-deposit.shtml





but why would one bring up California in a thread dealing with an issue on the other side of the country?

Our system of laws is a bit unique. Its not unusual for someone from another country to not understand how it works.

 

[STEPHAN]

Yes i still keep all his text messages

You will not get far with this is court. Text messages are very easy to fake.

 

[justalayman]

Our system of laws is a bit unique. Its not unusual for someone from another country to not understand how it works.

You need to pay attention. I was responding to the poster Daley, not the OP. Daley brought up the point about California, not the OP.