Left over bills from before I moved....

[Ty0604]

OREGON
I moved into a place and never signed a lease, it was just with a friend of a friend. I always cut my rent checks to him and he paid our landlord. I also gave him a $300 deposit when I moved in. We moved out a few weeks ago and cleaned the place top to bottom. The landlord refunded my roommate all of the original deposit, minus $150. Yesterday he sent me an email saying I needed to pay him for the bills from before we left, totaling $130. It's not that I don't have it but at my last place they just took the cost of the bills out of the deposit. I didn't ask for the deposit back, assuming he would use it to pay the bills. Should I just pay him or what?

Other information that may be relevant but probably not:
None of the bills were in my name
I'm not friends with this guy, he's honestly a prick, and screwed me over multiple times.

 

[justalayman]

You aren't real clear on the situation. Were you a subtenant (to the prick), or a primary tenant with the prick's landlord also being your landlord?

 

[Ty0604]

You aren't real clear on the situation. Were you a subtenant (to the prick), or a primary tenant with the prick's landlord also being your landlord?

I was a subtenant I think? When his roommate moved out I just assumed his lease but the landlord never knew he had moved out and that I had moved in. Does that make sense?

 

[justalayman]

Ok, let's go with subtenant since the only person you dealt with was prick.



Unless your landlord (prick) has reason to withhold your deposit, he has to return it. It doesn't matter what happens between your landlord and his landlord. That is none of your business and you are not liable for anything to that landlord. If you do owe for utilities, it is a righteous withholding from your deposit.

Other than that, unless your landlord has justification to charge you for something, he owes you the remainder of your deposit.

It sounds like you are owed $270, by your accounting.

I haven't checked the statutes regarding time frames for returning the deposit or your LL making claims agaisnt it. I'll try to get around to that if needed.

 

[Searchertwin]

OREGON
I moved into a place and never signed a lease, it was just with a friend of a friend. I always cut my rent checks to him and he paid our landlord. I also gave him a $300 deposit when I moved in. We moved out a few weeks ago and cleaned the place top to bottom. The landlord refunded my roommate all of the original deposit, minus $150. Yesterday he sent me an email saying I needed to pay him for the bills from before we left, totally $130. It's not that I don't have it but at my last place they just took the cost of the bills out of the deposit. I didn't ask for the deposit back, assuming he would use it to pay the bills. Should I just pay him or what?

Other information that may be relevant but probably not:
None of the bills were in my name
I'm not friends with this guy, he's honestly a prick, and screwed me over multiple times.

As with any LL/tenant concerning deposit, send him a crr letter requesting a list of damages, part he paid and what is expected from you. Keep it simple and leave out disgusting words. Remember, you lived there and part of living in a place is electric, unless you have something in writing stating he pays it all.
Relationship to you and how you feel about him means nothing.

 

[Ty0604]

I think $270 is a little much.. My deposit was $300 and all of main deposit was returned to my roommate, minus $150 so that's $75 each leaving me with $225 and the bills totaled $260 so that's $130 each, leaving me with $95 that would need to be returned. I'm not even worried about $95 honestly and if it meant he never talked to me again, he can keep it.

To the post above me, I'm going to pay the bills, my question was if he could just take it out of the deposit that was never returned to me since that is greater than what the bills and damages were.

 

[Searchertwin]

I think $270 is a little much.. My deposit was $300 and all of main deposit was returned to my roommate, minus $150 so that's $75 each leaving me with $225 and the bills totaled $260 so that's $130 each, leaving me with $95 that would need to be returned. I'm not even worried about $95 honestly and if it meant he never talked to me again, he can keep it.

To the post above me, I'm going to pay the bills, my question was if he could just take it out of the deposit that was never returned to me since that is greater than what the bills and damages were.

That's why I suggested to send a demand letter asking to see where the money went for and who paid what. That's the only way you will find your answer. Than if you feel it was not right, you can sue him.
Glad to know you honestly don't care about the money, so now you need to ask, "is it worth going to court over"?
Hope it works out for you.

 

[justalayman]

I think $270 is a little much.. My deposit was $300 and all of main deposit was returned to my roommate, minus $150 so that's $75 each leaving me with $225 and the bills totaled $260 so that's $130 each, leaving me with $95 that would need to be returned. I'm not even worried about $95 honestly and if it meant he never talked to me again, he can keep it.

To the post above me, I'm going to pay the bills, my question was if he could just take it out of the deposit that was never returned to me since that is greater than what the bills and damages were.

yep, that doesn't work even with new math.


I would tell your LL that your deposit exceeds the amount you owe for damages etc. He can take the amount owed out of your deposit.

If you want the $95 back, tell him you want the remaining balance. If you don't care, just tell him your deposit exceeds anything you would owe for damages, utilities, etc.. and to take it all. Then tell him to leave you alone and if he has as problem with that, he can sue you.