I gave my landlord a deposit Feb 18 '06,the apt was suppose to be ready today March 2.this guy didnt do anything,no new carpet,walls are not painted,no gas,doors are falling off the hinges and the ceiling has a leak.He wont give me back my deposit ,what should I do?Providence RI

Take him to landlord/tenant court, may have to go to small claims court because you did not move in, for your money back. He may have a history of doing this to people and be charged with fraud. I would take pictures of the apartment and find out if he even applied for a certificate of occupancy.

First, was there a deposit agreement in writing. If not, then you are in gray area. You can say that you do not intend to rent the place, but then you may not get the deposit back. Consult a local attorney to get more ideas.