My lease is ending and I am moving after 4 years. The rent has increased every year and 2 months security has also increased. I now pay $2175/mo! So landlord holds $4300 in security! I cannot pay this last month of rent and the rent/security on the new apartment.
Help! What recourse do I have? I am a professional woman, live alone and the place has been maintained meticulously. As a matter of fact, he entered my apt (without my knowledge) to take pics to post on rental sites!

I really want to do the right thing. Thank you!

The right thing to do is to pay your last months rent.

You can try to talk to the landlord regarding using part of your security for rent, but he is under no obligation to do so.

Hello am:

The proper thing to do is pay... But, it looks like you did. Your security deposit should be no more than one months rent, so it looks like he has a months rent and an equal amount as a security deposit.

Depending on where you live, the terms I described above are LAW.

In any case, most people live out their deposit as their last month, leaving the landlord holding the bag in case of damage. No matter how your state classifies the $4,300, if you did that, the landlord would STILL have one months worth of security deposit in hand.

I certainly think a letter to him suggesting the above would do in lieu of your last months rent - especially since you know that he knows how you have kept the place.

I never suggest that people violate the terms of their lease, and live out their deposit. However, I don't have any problem suggesting that you do so.

excon

Yes, it is unsual for deposits to be more than one month, but if you do not pay, you are at risk of losing what ever the lease says you can lose.
So read your lease carefully and see if you can afford not to pay it iether.