Tenant using 2 months security deposit for rent - messy situation

Artdis

in General Discussion 8 years and 2 months ago

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slopegirl | 8 years and 2 months ago

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Amen again to what Rick said. Get everyone out and start over. Honestly $2k is nothing compared to the headache of going to court and you will lose. Even if you are in the right, housing court always finds in favor of the tenant. I went through a similar situation and the thing to do is cut your losses and move on. Find good tenants and be strict up front in the future.

Make sure you give the current tenants notice in writing that they need to move out. If the current tenants don’t leave when it’s time, get a lawyer immediately WHO HANDLES THESE KINDS OF CASES and start the paperwork for eviction. You are in much more danger now with a “rooming house” and at least one deadbeat than just a sneaky guy who decided not to trust you to return the deposit. The best thing about Bachelor #1 is he’s gone. Hope you are as lucky with the rest.

By the way, you don’t get to keep the security deposit unless there is actual damage which is why you will lose in court. Generat ions of scumbag landlords have kept deposits and if tenants aren’t sure of your motives, it’s actually a savvy and fair move on their part.

resident2 | 8 years and 2 months ago

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Who-ever’s name is on the lease is 100% liable & responsible for the rent & security deposit. If there is more than one name on the lease; then all that are on the lease are 100% jointly & severally liable for the whole lease.
You as a landlord should never get involved in the roommates bookkeeping, or choosing replacement roommates. Each lease (tenant) is one unit as far as you are concerned. (2-3 roommates is one unit).
So what rent is due now? Beware that the court can throw a non payment out if on the first petition you are trying to collect more than 2 months rent. The Court looks at it as you the wicked Landlord were setting the poor tenants up to never being able to catch up! Not that you were trying to give them a chance before ruining their court record.
Your bookkeeping should reflect that the tenants and you have not accepted the security deposit as rent.

angelique.m.west | 8 years and 2 months ago

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A bit confused Artdis: So even though No. 2 was the lease holder you were accepting rent from both No. 1 and No. 2 separately? If so, maybe that’s what to avoid with future tenants. Or just avoid room mate situations, since they often end up in a trail of tears.

daveinbedstuy | 8 years and 2 months ago

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What Rick says. If #2 is the only one on the lease though, he is soley responsible. Make sure he knows that this will likely affect his credit rating. And threaten #1 with that as well. Though they sound likely they likely don’t care or understand.

Rick | 8 years and 2 months ago

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Best to get your tenants out asap and start over. I know it must hurt to be out the 2k but I doubt it’s worth the headaches to sue. Let the drama go. Count your blessings, ( this situation could be much worse ) , they will be gone in the near future. This is one small bump in the road. Refresh the apartment, post an ad on Streeteasy and pick your new tenants wisely .

Artdis | 8 years and 2 months ago

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I have a two family house, and my downstairs tenants have lived there for 3 years – 2 single guys (Bachelor number 1 and Bachelor number 2) who don’t really get along all that well, and a various other temporary 3rd roommates. Bachelor number 1 decided to move out – and lied about his financial situation saying he had extra deductions taken during tax season in April and would pay up May 1. On May 1 voila, he gives 30 days notice and says he does not have the rent, he used it up for a deposit on his new place. Unfortunately that puts the burden on Bachelor number 2, who is the real lease holder, and a nice enough guy, but an old punk rocker and hopelessly inept. At the moment I am the one out 2 months rent from Bachelor number 1, who out and out lied to me, face to face about it. Since we had all co-existed well enough for 3 years, I originally thought, ok, he is late one time, no big deal. Boy, was that a wrong move. Bachelor number 1 is a sly son of a gun and figured out Bachelor number 2 was not going to give him his security deposit back because bachelor number 1 is currently unemployed and basically doesn’t have it to give to him.

I have said I will take Bachelor number 1 to court, but by that time he will be long gone, and between the court fees, the servicer and tracking Bachelor number 1 down, it will be a nightmare. He essentially got his deposit back, and he will leave his room in decent enough shape. I am having Bachelor number 2 leave at the end of his lease at the end of August because he is a hopeless case and I can’t take it anymore. I am now concerned that Bachelor number 2 is going to do the same thing, screw me for the last 2 months to get his deposit back and just not pay rent.

Up until this time we all sort of got along, more or less. We are getting other temporary tenants in there for the next 3 months, which kind of turns the place almost into a rooming house, which is a real drag, because I am doing the right thing and honouring Bachelor number 2’s lease. Bachelor number 2 is already starting to complain and whine about getting his deposit back, and both of them are driving me nuts. I am still out 2K at the moment.

I know my legal options ( I do have a signed lease which says the deposit cannot be used for final rent) but in NYC that seems to be a flag to wave in tenant’s faces to use their security deposits as rent and bait the landlord to take them to court.

Has anyone faced this before? If so, how did you handle it?