[UA] Deposits

[moorebros at earthlink.net]

Gregory Paul Stolze wrote:
> So here's a question.  Has anyone on this list EVER gotten a damage
deposit
> back?

So here's an answer(in my role as the Man who won't be Screwed over
Again): Don't pay that last month's rent when you give notice. Sure it
is in the lease, but the penalty, generally, is that you lose your
deposit. The majority of my deposits exactly equal to one month's rent.

When your landlord inquires, lie. Tell him you already wrote the check.
(After all, he's going to lie to you when it comes time to actually
refund YOUR deposit.) Tell him you did indeed include the check and to
please check on it again. Repeat.... And by all means, take your time
and act insulted. Be sure that to tell him you know that this is just a
ploy to con you out of YOUR deposit. You've already heard that he's done
it to previous tenants and you're not going to take it. Threaten legal
action, and when he returns later in the month, say you are waiting for
a consultation with your laywer and the local television consumer
reporter.

Don't worry about keeping your story consistent, just don't write
anything down or speak with more than one person at a time. You only
have to listen to this horseshit for a month, the sting of losing YOUR
deposit will last a life time. Each communitication between you and the
landlord should be dragged out as long as posible, taking 5 days for
your response. (Kind of like when you had the plumbing problem.)

Don't worry about a reference. Just tell your next landlord(who will at
some point try to steal YOUR deposit) that you owed or rented from a
buddy. I'm sure you and your friends will give a glowing recommendation
about your personal living habits.

Let them beg for damage money.
Roger



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