elle67
01-24-2007, 07:30 PM
I live in an apartment in a split level home on Long Island, NY. My landlords recently told us (about 3 months ago) that they were selling the house, even though our lease isn't up until March. The put the house up for sale without informing us, and decided only to tell us when they were about to put the "for sale" sign up on the lawn. Needless to say, we were furious.
They ended up finding a buyer less than 1 month later and asked us to move out early (in January) because the buyers were brothers who each wanted one of the apartments. We told them no way because we had a lease until March, we are moving to another state when the lease is up, and we are unwilling to move to another place for 2 months. They got back to us days later with an offer for 2 free months rent, but it wasn't enough for us. A few more days later, they told us the buyers agreed to wait until we moved out in March to move in. We thought we were in the clear.
Just hours ago, our Landlords called us from their NEW home and told us that they had moved out during the middle of the night (obviously to avoid confrontation) and that the buyers were going to move in on Friday (into the one apartment)...only 2 days from now. They told us that their lawyer said that by law, the lease would be transferred to the new owners -- including our security deposit. Needless to say, we are furious again.
My question is, what happens with this security deposit? What is it based on? We are moving out in 1.5 months and our security deposit is being transferred to people we have never met and we are being forced to be tenants under. Moreover, is the security deposit going to be based on the condition of the apartment when they move in, or what they "think" it looked like when we moved in? The apartment was certainly not in perfect condition when we moved in, and we fear that they may not return our deposit under the assumption/excuse that we caused damage that already existed. We are ANGRY. We feel we are going to be totally screwed out of our deposit.
Another thought is that we would not pay our last months rent, but rather let them keep the deposit as the rent, however...we also fear that they may enter our apartment while we are at work and steal/trash the place. PLEASE HELP. Any suggestions would be HIGHLY appreciated. :confused:
They ended up finding a buyer less than 1 month later and asked us to move out early (in January) because the buyers were brothers who each wanted one of the apartments. We told them no way because we had a lease until March, we are moving to another state when the lease is up, and we are unwilling to move to another place for 2 months. They got back to us days later with an offer for 2 free months rent, but it wasn't enough for us. A few more days later, they told us the buyers agreed to wait until we moved out in March to move in. We thought we were in the clear.
Just hours ago, our Landlords called us from their NEW home and told us that they had moved out during the middle of the night (obviously to avoid confrontation) and that the buyers were going to move in on Friday (into the one apartment)...only 2 days from now. They told us that their lawyer said that by law, the lease would be transferred to the new owners -- including our security deposit. Needless to say, we are furious again.
My question is, what happens with this security deposit? What is it based on? We are moving out in 1.5 months and our security deposit is being transferred to people we have never met and we are being forced to be tenants under. Moreover, is the security deposit going to be based on the condition of the apartment when they move in, or what they "think" it looked like when we moved in? The apartment was certainly not in perfect condition when we moved in, and we fear that they may not return our deposit under the assumption/excuse that we caused damage that already existed. We are ANGRY. We feel we are going to be totally screwed out of our deposit.
Another thought is that we would not pay our last months rent, but rather let them keep the deposit as the rent, however...we also fear that they may enter our apartment while we are at work and steal/trash the place. PLEASE HELP. Any suggestions would be HIGHLY appreciated. :confused:
