Old landlord going through my personal mail and...

[Sublime1996]

What is the name of your state?California

I recently moved out of a house in Costa Mesa, Ca and found out yesterday that my landlord has been opening any and all mail I get.

Plus, on top of that, he refuses to give me my $100 deposit back because he claims the room was a mess when I left.

About 2 days before I moved out, I went to San Diego and when I came back on moving day, I found that whatever I had on my shelves was cleaned out and never saw anything again. What he thought was trash was actually things I had for display purposes in my room - which is still my own property.

Isn't there something I can do about getting my deposit back? Or at LEAST about him going through my mail? From what I am told, it is a federal crime to go through someone's personal mail like that.

Thanks for any help.

 

[seniorjudge]

If you feel a federal crime has been committed by him and it involves the mail, talk to the inspector general of the mail service.

http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/

 

[JETX]

I recently moved out of a house in Costa Mesa, Ca and found out yesterday that my landlord has been opening any and all mail I get.

Simple solution... file a change of address notice with the USPS.

Plus, on top of that, he refuses to give me my $100 deposit back because he claims the room was a mess when I left.

So, how long has it been since you moved out?
When you left, did you comply with your lease and provide WRITTEN notice??
What were the terms of your lease??

About 2 days before I moved out, I went to San Diego and when I came back on moving day, I found that whatever I had on my shelves was cleaned out and never saw anything again. What he thought was trash was actually things I had for display purposes in my room - which is still my own property.

How did the landlord know that your property wasn't trash and/or abanodoned??
What EXACTLY were the terms of your leaving??

Isn't there something I can do about getting my deposit back?

Read the information at: http://www.dca.ca.gov/legal/landlordbook/sec-deposit.htm
http://www.cesinaction.org/Resources_Materials/Getting_Your_Sec_Deposit_Back.pdf

 

[Sublime1996]

So, how long has it been since you moved out?
When you left, did you comply with your lease and provide WRITTEN notice??
What were the terms of your lease??

It's been 2 weeks since this last Monday.
There wasn't an actual written lease. I moved in with my friend and his uncle so I wasn't renting an apartment or anything, just rented the room.
As far as terms go, there really weren't any. Only thing he told me before I even moved in was that it wasn't going to be a permanent thing.

How did the landlord know that your property wasn't trash and/or abanodoned??
What EXACTLY were the terms of your leaving??

I told the uncle that I was going down to San Diego for New Year's and would be back to move everything out of the room and I'd be gone.

The uncle is getting married soon and his fiance and her kids were moved in. Back in December, he told me he would give me until February to do what I had to do to get my stuff and move out. I told him I would move out in the beginning of January.