Landlord’s trying to charge me another deposit

By Sylvia Lewis

 I moved in to a 1 bedroom apartment in Oklahoma City (Monterra Apartments) about 15 months ago. At that time, I paid a $100.00 deposit (which was their move in special). I lived in that apartment for 12 to 13 months and during that time; I had flooding in my apartment on 7 different occasions. They never could figure out why or what was causing the flooding. And I was never told about any flooding in that apartment prior to my moving in to it. Four or so months ago, I decided to move to a 2 bedroom apartment within the same complex because of the flooding and because I wanted more room (plus the roaches were absolutely horrendous). I was told by the manager at that time, that there was a $150.00 moving fee, which I paid.  Now, somewhere during the past 5 or 6 months, the apartment complex has been sold and there are new owners and now a new manager. (I have heard through the grape vine, that the new owners don’t even live in the USA, but another country, I have further been told that the manger and leasing agent work under extreme pressure to "make money and fill up the place, or else."  I think they live in fear of their jobs).  When I moved, I was dealing with the previous manager, and she told me I’d have to pay the $150.00 moving fee, and as I said, I paid that and didn’t and don’t have a problem with that.  Now 4 or 5 months later, I just received a note on my door informing me that the rent I paid for the month of August 2010, had $100.00 deducted from it to pay a new deposit on the 2 bedroom apartment I moved into 4 months ago. I was never told that I would owe another deposit. And, there is nothing in my lease stating this, (I have already finished my lease period – 12 months – before I moved in to the 2 bedroom apartment and am now on a month-to-month basis, they never asked me to sign a new lease). There is nothing in writing or even a verbal agreement that I was going to be charged another $100.00 deposit.  I do not have any flooding in this apartment, but the roaches are just as bad as in the old apartment. I have asked to have the pest control out on several occasions, but in the 4 to 5 months I have been here – in the new apartment – they have only been here twice. And when they do spray, they spend maybe 15 seconds in my apartment and  they’re gone. I called the office again 2 weeks ago and they said the pest control would be here last week, but, of coarse, they did not show up.  The apartments also have a sewer line that continuously plugs up and sewer water spills out onto the sidewalk out in front of my apartment. That has yet to be fixed or, apparently, is an unfixable problem by the maintenance crew. 

When I received the notice on my door, today, stating that I owed another deposit, that was it for me.  I have given the manager my 30 to 60-day written notice that I plan to move – 30-days if I can swing it. My concern is, will I be stuck with the additional $100. deposit and not be able to leave until I pay it? 

Reggie-fed up in OKC

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