[John Daniels]

This is non-DJ related in a sense, however, we should be able to learn something from this!

I own a house that is rental property . . . and we recently turned it over to new renters.

Our old tenents moved out three weeks before the term of their lease was up, however, they seem to think that the lease ended the day that they moved out!

Now, according to the lease, and Colorado state law, we (landlords) have up to 30 days AFTER the lease ends to return their deposit, minus any funds that are used to repair damages or replace missing items.

We also had the power, sewer, water and garbage returned to our name from the time that they moved out!

Now, after doing a walk through of the house two weeks ago I advised them of the items that they were to pay for; missing screen door closer, broken window shade (they all were brand new when they moved in) and a ripped screen!

We let them slide on several other items . . . like the six rose bushes they killed by letting their kid trample them (my wife was extremely p!$$ed about those), damaged front door deadbolt and doorknob (couldn't really prove they broke them - but they were broken for no apparent reason) . . . and a few other nit-picky things!

I told them that I would TRY to return the rest of their deposit as soon as possible!

Now we are roughly at one month from when they moved out, yet two weeks from one month from the end of their lease!

I had planned on sending them the remainder of their deposit shortly after the walk through, however, my wife insisted that I hang on to it!

Last week we got a shutoff notice for the sewer, water and gas because the final payment had not been made by the previous tenents.

And, today we found out that they also never paid their final electric bill!

Even though we had already given the utility companies their forwarding address, they are holding us responsible for the final bills!

So, with two weeks left before, by state law, we have to return the rest of their security deposit, we have spent over half of it for repairs and utility bills that are in their name!

Today I receive an email from them asking . . .

"We still haven't received our security deposit back. What gives?"

Well . . . I'll tell you what gives!

I think he was hoping to get his deposit back BEFORE we found out about those unpaid bills . . . and he will not be to happy when he gets less than half of his $1300.00 security deposit!

I was going to be the 'nice guy' and return his money early, but my wifes' insistance on hanging onto it for the full term turned out to be a good thing!