This guy is more like a slumlord. At one point I had to make my rent payments to the IRS. He owns a few businesses and a rental building. After 3 years, I move out. When I moved in it was like pulling teeth to get him to have someone come and finish repairs and painting I was told would be done when I looked at the property. My appliances would break and it take 3 months to get repaired. It's been sixty days. He has 45 days in va to provide me notice of he return if the deposit. He's not returning calls or emails, which isn't surprising. Where do I go from here without legal council?

File a law suit in small claims court, but then, after you win, and he is ordered to pay, if he does not pay, what are you going to do. Not telling you to forget it, you can sue him in smalls claim court but winning and actually getting your money is two separate things

This guy is more like a slumlord. At one point I had to make my rent payments to the IRS. He owns a few businesses and a rental building. After 3 years, I move out. When I moved in it was like pulling teeth to get him to have someone come and finish repairs and painting I was told would be done when I looked at the property. My appliances would break and it take 3 months to get repaired. It's been sixty days. He has 45 days in va to provide me notice of he return if the deposit. He's not returning calls or emails, which isn't surprising. Where do I go from here without legal council?

Small claims court would be just one.

Yes, if he is past the deadline, then file suit in small claims. It may be difficult to collect but I think its worth the small claims fee.