EDIT: Yes, RPA is available in all 50 States including California.

There is a better solution than taking your landlord to court. Not only is the court process not fun, it can be expensive. All you need to do is file a complaint with the Rental Protection Agency. The RPA takes complaints like this all the time. I’ve used the program for another non-related landlord problem, and now I’m a huge advocate of the program. Filing a complaint allows you to take control of the situation. When you file a complaint you will receive a case number. The Agent assigned to your complaint case will contact the landlord to get your deposit refunded promptly.

The best part… it gets documented against the landlord as a public record. So, it will protect other tenants from making the same mistake. I should mention, that as part of my settlement, I had my complaint record removed from the public record database– My landlord insisted, so I complied in order to get my complaint resolved. Still the same, the program was a huge benefit to me. I can’t afford much when it comes to legal help, so the $35 fee was perfect for my situation. (I did upgrade to include the certified option which requires the landlord to sign for the legal paperwork sent by the RPA– I found that most people recommend the upgrade. I think that cost me an extra $15 or so.)

You’ll have to decide how important it is to get your deposit back. I’d do it just for the whole public record thing. Landlords need to be held responsible for their actions. They can’t just keep people’s deposits. Here’s the complaint form: https://www.rentalprotectionagency.com/complaint_center_form.php