tenants have rights, solving security deposit problems is your right...
Every day, tenants like you, turn to the RPA to quickly get deposits refunded & unfair charges dropped.Filing a Complaint with the RPA is the fastest and most effective way to get your deposit refunded and unfair deductions dropped. - even attorneys rely on the RPA to help solve dispute problems for their clients. As a tenant you have rights to fight for your every penny of your deposit. Yes, the RPA fight to get your deposit back.
What Security Deposit Problems Can the RPA solve?
Did you know... the RPA accepts all deposit complaints, but these are the most common complaints resolved by our organization:
Security Deposit Refunds
Getting your security deposit back promptly.
Charges to Security Deposit
Unfair, False, Unreasonable, or other types of deductions
TIP: On the complaint form you can request that your landlord reimburse you for the $35 complaint filing fee. (that's the only required fee to file a complaint)
Rent Problems Are Frustrating; but you're not alone: Thousands of tenants rely on RPA to solve problems
Repair Issues | Case#**-*084 I have not had screens in any windows or balcony door since move in, I was told they would be put in. Five months later after on time payments and never being late on rent and after having a bat fly in..I am still without screens so I have decided to hold rent until the screens get put in. I have explained to landlord that this is a BIG safety issue, especially with my small children. He says he is not obligated to put in screens for window or balcony door and that the apartment is rented as is!
Retaliation By Landlord | Case#**-*557
SEBASTIAN,
FL -
32958 4454
Kelly Bess retaliated against me after I reported a resident Ruth Brown for grabbing me and for bringing suit against another Janice Boone for making a false claim against me. The retaliation took the form in false warnings. false accusations and racial harassment.
Safety and Health Concerns | Case#**-*460 Over the last 5 months my wife and I have had numerous instances in which our safety and health have been at risk during our rental at Country Squire Apartments. One of the multiple occasions was shortly after we moved in my wife began having upper respiratory problems and signs of allergenic reactions. Both of us being in the healthcare field we quickly searched for the source. I soon found mold in the air conditioner and reported it to the management along with pictures. The mold was cleaned out but not treated and the symptoms remained. I soon had to learn how to treat mold and fix the air conditioner drain leak that created this problem on my own. Finally my wife's symptoms subsided. Later the break-ins began. Over the last few months we have had numerous break-ins in the complex with a few just an apt or two away. The worry of whether or not we would be next was bad enough until I actually caught someone coming out of the woods fixing to break into our back door. I had to chase them through the woods with my gun. Needless to say they are still at large and our neighbors are still being vandalized. My wife cannot stay at home alone. And now (over the past month) with our most recent dilemma being that after a new neighbor moving in we now have a bedbug infestation that we are unable to rid. We are both unemployed full-time graduate anesthesia students who have spent hundreds in sprays, washing EVERYTHING, buying new bedding, and staying in hotels to avoid getting bitten more while the management had the apt "treated" twice (by a guy with an in-line steamer and a can of bug spray) to no avail. We both are doing full-time clinicals in hospitals and are now getting sent home due to open sores that are an infection risk to both our patients and ourselves (we are only allowed 10 days before getting kicked-out of school). We cannot do this anymore and we cannot afford this anymore. We appealed to the management for a termination of lease (Greg) who said we would have a decision in one day, then one week, and now two weeks later whom we have not heard from. We are still getting bitten, my wife was even diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease and placed on multiple medications prior to the discovery of the source of these bites. We cannot afford this anymore. Our health, and our careers are at risk if we have to stay. No one should feel afraid to be at home as we currently do. We just want to leave and start over in a safer environment.
Health Issues, Breach Of Contract, And Tenant Rights | Case#**-*881
Kansas City,
Missouri -
64127
Mr crispell has known that there has been a bed bug issue in this apartment complex for a long time. I have reported to him several times. I have treated the problem on my own and have provided reciepts for the treatments. Now he is trying to evict me for back rent even though he has told me he was going to take the money off my rent for the treatments.
Mr crispell has entered this apartment on several occasions without a 24 hours written notice or emergency of any type. I now because there have been several times I have come home to find things not in the usual spot like my medicine that I have to take on a daily basis. I actually set up a tape trap on my door to indicate if someone else has been in here other than myself. When I returned the tape trap has been broken and the dead bolt was unlocked. I need to find out what I can do.
They Knowingly Leased My Family An Apartment With Bed Bug Infestation | Case#**-*921 Arroyo vista apartment manager leased my family an infested bed bug unit. Pest control has not worked manager said she will deduct money from our rent for cost of trash bags to bag everything up and she basically admits she knew their was bed bugs before we moved in I can guarantee we are not the only ones here with this issue. Something needs to help this is unhealthy and unsanitary these people need to be held accountable.
Air Conditioning | Case#**-*982
TAYLORSVILLE,
UT -
84123 5899
There are 3 people renting this house, landlord lives in the house as well.. Landard wont turn on A/C... I have kids in the house... landlord went on a summers vacation in Colorado so we all dying of heat in the house while he is on vacation
Neglegent and Harassing Landlord | Case#**-*421
LONG BEACH,
CA -
90803 5811
1. I sent a letter with our rent checks and an email to Troy Donaldson regarding a broken window in October, 2010. 3 months later, when we were putting in our 30 days notice, Troy Donaldson tells me he got the letter, but had gotten "too busy" to do anything about it. Also included in the letter and email was our (mine and my girlfriend's) concern about the safety of the back gate and the alley where people had trespassed onto the property, attempting to steal our bikes. I know that the latter of these two issues is one that a landlord is not responsible for, but feel I should include it here.
2. After a conflict regarding the painting and cleaning of the apartment, we (my girlfriend Nicole and I) agreed to pay a $60 cleaning fee as a way to resolve the conflict and hung up the phone with this agreement being clear and understood, done. A week and a half later Troy Donaldson send us the remainder of our deposit and included a harassing letter written to Nicole (my girlfriend) accusing her of "not doing the right thing" and "selling her integrity for a couple of bucks" as examples to his personal attack on her. Note, this was all after we had come to an agreement and is at this point considered harassment in our eyes.
3. Troy Donaldson told us that the bedroom and the living room of the apartment needed to be painted and that we left the apartment unclean over the phone, after the final walk-thru. It is in my knowledge now that he should have told us in person at the apartment, not in a phone call after the fact as I don't know what could have happened after we left the apartment and its final status.
4. Troy Donaldson never sent to us an itemized receipt of the cleaning that was done which also know is required in the state of California.
need water heater repaired | Case#**-*797
galveston,
Texas -
77550
we have not had hot water or gas since 5/3/12, landlord aware of problem but said she doesnt have the money to fix it. that is her responsibility as a landlord to fix any problems in the apt that is necessary when renting her place out. I used to be a landlord and had to fix any problems my tenants had even though i didnt have the money,i took out loans and i feel that is what my landlord should do too if she doesnt have the funds to fix the water heater. It is leaking which is preventing the gas company to turn on the gas plus the piping is out of date.
Repair Issue | Case#**-*739 The front door and dented hood range have not been replaced as verbally promised June 2013 "within the week" 8 months now. Heat stopped working 1/7/14 and 1/21/14 resulting not only in water and electrical damage (as reported with the fire department and building inspection) but damaged carpeting, a broken patio door handle, and drywall removed by maintenance (as a heat repair) causing direct exposure to the outside which was reported as an issue verbally 1/7/14 to Debbie (on-site manager) as well as an unreturned voicemail message to the head of the property management company. This has resulted in heating bills five times what was estimated when I moved in, as well as a constantly cold kitchen and living room; as well as uncertainty of safety due to the unrepaired electrical damage (fire department incident report #2014-0000067-000 and building inspection tax key #1205216 which indicated damaged wiring would be repaired and replaced 01/07/14 to "affected areas upper and lower" filed under unit 14794 (lower) indicating my unit would be fixed as well, as it is the unit above that one). As of today (2/27/14) no repairs have been completed. Even if the repairs are made, I no longer wish to live at the property as the unit is no longer in fair livable or rentable condition and feel I have been ignored and treated unfairly when attempting to come to an agreement and resolution on my own.
Deposit Dispute Complaint Process in 3 Simple Steps:
File Apartment Complaint: Fill out complaint form with your proposed resolution. Instantly recieve your case number.
Check Status: See the current status, respond, upload files or images, accept fair solution or purpose alternative solutions.
Landlord Public Record: Positive or Negative record is attached to landlord based upon their responses. Your (tenant) information is not made public.
Complaints Tips:
Uploading pictures / files is helpful
Try to request fair solutions
Focus on major issue, not on many
Check your status every 3 days
Avoid accusations or hostile tones
Be willing to accept alternate solution
How Does the RPA Help Me Get My Deposit Back?
As a tenant you have the right to get every penny of your deposit back. When you file a complaint through the Rental Protection Agency this starts a formal dispute resolution process in which the RPA will do everything in our power to see that your landlord promptly resolves your complaint. Landlords know that if they fail to cooperate with the RPA it can result in a negative public record that can make it hard for them to fill vacancies in the future.
Why is there a Filing Fee of $35
The $35 filing fee is the only required fee to process a complaint. The fee is required to help offset the cost of representing your complaint. The RPA complaint center is designed as a low cost legal solution for tenants and in most cases is more affordable than other legal options. Many tenants will compare the cost of filing a complaint to the cost of not filing a complaint. If you file a complaint and the problem is resolved will the solution be worth the cost of filing the complaint?
TIP: Don't forget, on the complaint form you can request that your landlord reimburse you for filing fee.
Most tenants file a complaint with the RPA to solve the problem such as getting a deposit refunded, or to get an unfair charge or deduction removed. However, some tenants file a complaint to report the landlord publicly as a warning to other tenants. When a complaint is filed against a landlord it will show up on their public record which is indexed by all major search engines. Filing a complaint is one way for tenants to stand up against bad landlords to warn future tenants about deposit problems they've had.
Does the RPA Guarantee to Solve My Deposit Refund Complaint?
We do guarantee to do everything in our power to solve each complaint that is filed. However, there are some situations where bad landlords fail to cooperate. The RPA can't force a landlord to comply if they refuse; but we can impact their public record which can make it difficult for them to find new tenants. We guarantee to represent the complaint and to create a public record against landlords that fail to resolve complaints.
Will My Name Show up Publicly?
No. After the complaint is closed and made public; your information (tenant name) is removed. During the complaint process your complaint can only be accessed through your case number and pin number. Both the landlord and tenant are assigned a pin number that is unique. The RPA protects tenant's privacy by blocking your name from the public record database. However, the record does show the landlord name.
Protection Against Landlord Retaliation
Its unlawful for your landlord to retaliate against you because you filed a complaint. Your landlord cannot evict, harass, limit access, raise rent, or treat you unfairly because you filed a complaint. As a tenant, you must still pay rent and comply with rent terms stated within your contract. Filing a complaint does not eliminate your responsibilities.
All 50 States have regulations that protect security deposits. In most cases the landlord is required to provide a refund within 30 days and must provide proof cost associated with charges or deductions against your deposit. Many states require the landlord to furnish copies of receipts for work completed. If you have a deposit refund dispute or feel your landlord is being unfair with your security deposit; you have rights. Filing a complaint is one of those rights.
