If Iwas court evicted and didn’t get refunded the ordered amount of my security back, how can I get it?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If Iwas court evicted and didn’t get refunded the ordered amount of my security back, how can I get it?
The total amount of security deposit was $686.50; $325 security deposit, $350 pet deposit, and $11.50 interest. I only received $281.34 deposit back but when I got the court paper it says that I am entitled to a net refund of $481.34. How can I get the rest of my security deposit back?
Asked on September 16, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Ohio
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
Your recourse is to sue you landlord for the balance you are owed. You can file the action in small claims court, where you can represent yourself (you would be "pro se" plaintiff) and where the filing or court costs are low (usually $25 - $50). Another advantage of small claims court is that the cases generally move faster than in other courts. If you have something from a court already indicasting that you are owed $481.34, the landlord would have to show why--legally--he withheld another $200; if he can't establish legal cause, he'll owe you the money. Note that if you haven't already, try simply contacting the landlord and asking about why did you receive the full amount indicated by the court--it's not impossible it was an error or oversight and if you inquire into it, you can get the rest without the necessity for litigation. Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.