Landlord not paying security deposit

[raj101]

What is the name of your state? New York
I rented a room in a house for a year and moved out on the last day of the rental lease i.e. May 31st, 2018. The landlady told me over phone that she wanted my address so that she would mail me my security deposit and I did. It's been more than 40 days since I left the apartment and I have not received my security deposit from her. I even texted her yesterday asking her whether she has mailed it or not and she hasn't replied to me. I also asked my other friends who shared the same floor of the house with me about their deposits, and neither of them have received their deposits either. Each of us are owed $500 or more in deposits back. One of my friends also knows a previous tenant who wasn't paid his security deposit either. I want to know what I could do legally to get my deposit back from the landlady

 

[adjusterjack]

You'll have to explain the arrangement.

You refer to a house where you and your friends shared a floor.

Did you have a separate lease or rental agreement solely between you and the owner of the house or were all of you on a single lease together?

If the latter, are any of you still in residence?

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state? New York
I rented a room in a house for a year and moved out on the last day of the rental lease i.e. June 30, 2018. The landlady told me over phone that she wanted my address so that she would mail me my security deposit and I did. It's been more than 40 days since I left the apartment and I have not received my security deposit from her. I even texted her yesterday asking her whether she has mailed it or not and she hasn't replied to me. I also asked my other friends who shared the same floor of the house with me about their deposits, and neither of them have received their deposits either. Each of us are owed $500 or more in deposits back. One of my friends also knows a previous tenant who wasn't paid his security deposit either. I want to know what I could do legally to get my deposit back from the landlady

You would have to sue her in small claims court.

 

[raj101]

You'll have to explain the arrangement.

You refer to a house where you and your friends shared a floor.

Did you have a separate lease or rental agreement solely between you and the owner of the house or were all of you on a single lease together?

If the latter, are any of you still in residence?

The lease contract was signed individually by me only.

 

[Shadowbunny]

What is the name of your state? New York
I rented a room in a house for a year and moved out on the last day of the rental lease i.e. June 30, 2018. The landlady told me over phone that she wanted my address so that she would mail me my security deposit and I did. It's been more than 40 days since I left the apartment and I have not received my security deposit from her.

How are you arriving at 40 days when you moved out less than 2 weeks ago?

 

[raj101]

How are you arriving at 40 days when you moved out less than 2 weeks ago?

My mistake, I actually meant, May 31st. I moved out on May 31st.

 

[Gail in Georgia]

New York state or New York city?

New York has an interesting and rather casual attitude toward the security deposit return, often requiring that it be returned within a "reasonable" amount of time (as opposed to a specific time period noted in many other states). If you haven't heard back two months after moving out, then begin the process of suing for such.

Gail

 

[raj101]

New York state or New York city?

New York has an interesting and rather casual attitude toward the security deposit return, often requiring that it be returned within a "reasonable" amount of time (as opposed to a specific time period noted in many other states). If you haven't heard back two months after moving out, then begin the process of suing for such.

Gail

New York State.