My friend and I rented an apartment together and each paid half the security deposit. She moved out and wants her half of the security deposit back. Can she get it from the landlord?

Your landlord is under no obligation to return half of the security deposit unless you specifically agreed to that possibility in the original tenancy agreement. In the absence of such an agreement, the security deposit will only be returned when the tenancy ends. This means your friend will either have to wait for her part of the security deposit or she will have to negotiate to get her half from you now — then you would keep the entire deposit when it is returned at the end of the tenancy.

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April 2006 More Renting a Place to Live FAQs:

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