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View Full Version : Just realized lease was not signed by management--is it still binding?


Jenn_Terresa
Mar 15, 2013, 04:42 PM
I live in Texas and had lived in my pervious apartment for 2 years. In the last week we moved out and our lease ended today. The property management company just switched 2 weeks ago and we were told we had no security deposit on file, which I knew was not correct. In our lease it states that we made a security deposit of $509, but I just realized that the management never signed the lease. If they try to take us to court saying we owe since we had "no security deposit" will our lease even hold up without a signature from management?

ScottGem
Mar 15, 2013, 05:00 PM
If you are referring to the lease that you signed when you first moved in, its valid. The fact that you moved in and paid rent makes it valid.

On the other hand, just because the lease mentioned the deposit doesn't mean it was paid. You need to find a receipt or cancelled check proving the deposit was paid.

Jenn_Terresa
Mar 15, 2013, 05:10 PM
Wouldn't the fact that the lease stated that we had to pay a security deposit to move in and the fact that we lived there for two years and our management repeatedly told us our security deposit transferred over with renewing our lease (we asked to make sure since we were first time renters) show that we paid it? Unfortunately I do not have a receipt showing that we paid the deposit since a charity paid our deposit and first months rent when we moved in, but I know it was paid because they told me it had to be paid before we could get the keys and the management called me when it was paid.

ScottGem
Mar 15, 2013, 05:46 PM
That could help. But the charity should have a record of it,

Jenn_Terresa
Mar 15, 2013, 11:04 PM
That could help. But the charity should have a record of it,

I will get in touch with them then! Thank you!

AK lawyer
Mar 16, 2013, 04:57 AM
I believe the charity, not you, should get the deposit back if and when it is returned.