Tenant sues landlord and wins after he charged her an additional $4,500 on top of keeping her security deposit: 'I ruined a landlord's day'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Apr 8, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

Every so often, someone manages to successfully call out their landlord for their shady behavior. It's rare when this happens, and, as I'm sure many of us have been unfairly affected by this kind of greed, we all need to soak this win in and live vicariously through this tenant's tale of triumph.

A friend of mine could have used this tale for motivation after his recent conflict with his now-former superintendent. He had recently moved out of his place and was told that his apartment was confirmed to be in good condition. Therefore, his security deposit was expected to be returned in the mail shortly. After some back-and-forth in which the landlord claimed to have already sent it, the number of days they had to do so expired and my friend was furious. Conflict-avoidant though he may be, he sent a follow-up email with the help of more forceful friends that got that security deposit sent back within 24 hours.

Keep scrolling below for this tenant's story!

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    Cheezburger Image 10491314432
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

  • With the help of a good lawyer who authored this story, this tenant won in a lawsuit with their former landlord after he tried to charge an additional $4,500 on top of the security deposit he refused to return. Despite the fact that her apartment was in better shape than she found it, the landlord refused to budge and therefore ended up spending thousands upon thousands of dollars in legal fees, only to lose in the end. Shoutout to the tenant's lawyer for advocating on her behalf!

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    My client left her rental home in better condition than when she moved in. But that didn't stop the landlord from trying to charge her $4,500 on top of keeping her $2,500 security deposit over the most ridiculous things, like $98 to change a lightbulb.
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    I tried to negotiate, but the landlord refused to discuss the amount, only a payment plan. So we filed suit.
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    For over a year, the landlord did everything possible to delay the trial but never once offered to settle. Instead, he spent over $5,000 on legal fees trying to avoid paying my client what she was owed.
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    The trial finally happened today. Landlord and his wife flew in from over seas for the big day. He's a high-ranking military bu y who thought he could intimidate me,
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    too. So I called his wife to the stand instead and put her through the wringer for over an hour. She left the stand in tears, and the jury got to see the landlord's temper boiling over.
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    The jury awarded my client her full deposit back and substantial attorney fees. No punitive damages, but at least we ruined a landlord's day.
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    ETA: I appreciate all the healthy skepticism, I'll drop proof in one of my comments below. I'm not here for the karma, just trying to inspire more people to push back against landlords
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    Cheezburger Image 10491314944
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)
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    a_library_socialist thank you for your service
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    Geopol show We love to see a landlord lose in court
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    Legal-Establishm... I did not know you could take a landlord to trial for this small amount of money! This is very inspiring
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
  • 13
    ScaleEnvironment... Doing the lords work. Well done.
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    unlimitedestrogen Doing the good work, good job. Please share more successes like this, they bring me hope in these dark times.
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    GregzillaKil Thank you for your service! | am not going through that type of scenario currently, but dealing with a dodgy slumlord in my own city. I
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    appreciate knowing their are people like you out there ready and willing to fight for us small folks.
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    Odor_of_Philocte... You got attorney's fees paid? Good work! Love to see the landlords pay for tenant representation.
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    axdacityyy 2500 for a security deposit is actually beyond insane, do people not feel guilt anymore?
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel
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    mkbutterfly Thank you for standing up for those who are powerless in these types of situations!
    via AttorneyTaylorAngel

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landlord security lawyer court tenant entitled people karma bad landlord entitled people apartment
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