There are several steps involved in getting your security deposit refunded:
为了把钱拿回来, the tenant must give the landlord a forwarding address and return the keys to the property.
在房客搬走后的30天内, the landlord must either: Return the security deposit; or, 给房客寄一份损坏清单, the cost of repairs and any money remaining from the security deposit.
If the landlord does not provide a written list of damages within 30 days, 他放弃保留任何部分保证金的权利. The tenant must take two approaches to finding a remedy to this situation: The tenant can sue to recover the deposit without the landlord being able to raise any defense; or, 承租人可以起诉,要求双倍支付保证金. In this case, the landlord can counterclaim for damages done to his property. If you are experiencing any landlord/tenant problems contact the local Better Business Commission Office.
如果你仍然不确定你的租约或合同怎么办? Although the Off-Campus Housing Office cannot provide legal interpretations, 我们可以帮助您了解租赁术语, 建议您咨询法律服务, and suggest modifications in your lease or contract if appropriate and desirable. 所以,如果你读完这篇文章后仍然感到迷茫, 在签字前带一份租约的复印件来, 我们来看一下. If you encounter problems: You will help your fellow students if you let the Off-Campus Housing Office know the place, 业主, 问题是什么?, 当它发生时(以书面形式). Only with evidence such as this can we refuse to list a facility or property owner.
租赁
A lease between a landlord and a tenant is an oral or written contract to rent property. It is therefore essential that you scrutinize the lease before signing. It is difficult to change or break a lease without one side surrendering a sum of money.
Oral 租赁: 宾西法尼亚 law permits landlords and tenants to agree verbally on the conditions of occupancy for rental dwelling. These verbal agreements are termed oral leases and may be made for a period of up to three years. Oral leases often have the advantage of containing less burdensome restrictions than written leases. 然而, 而口头租赁和书面协议一样具有约束力, their provisions are much hard to enforce under the law—one person’s word against another’s.
Written 租赁: Most written leases for residential dwellings encompass a one-year period. 房东不能合法地提高租金, 除非租约中有升级条款, or change the terns of occupancy so long as the lease is in effect. 除非承租人违反了合同条款, the landlord cannot rightfully expel the tenant before the conclusion of the lease period. 相反, a tenant is obligated to pay rent for the full lease period and abide by all the provisions of the agreement provided that the landlord does not ignore his/her legal responsibilities.
除非所有的空格都填好或划掉,否则不要签署租约!
租约应该包含哪些内容?
- 具体地址,包括公寓号码
- 租期的长短.
- 租金支付程序的说明:多少钱, 到期日期, 付款的地点, 任何迟到的处罚, 以及在租赁期内是否可以增加租金.
- 你负责的公用事业.
- Who to get in touch with and how to get in touch with them for maintenance and repairs.
- A complete list of any regulations your landlord expects you to follow.
- How you can terminate or renew your lease, including any penalty you must pay for breaking the lease.
- 应支付的保证金金额.
Any other mandatory services for which your landlord insists on performing and charging you.
一定要留一份给自己
许多租约可能包含下列条款:
- Prohibit you from subletting the apartment and from moving without the landlord’s consent.
- Permit the landlord to enter the property for inspection, repair or to show it to potential tenants.
- Prohibit more than the number of people named in the lease from occupying the property.
- 给 the landlord the right to collect the total rent for the lease period, if you miss one payment.
- Provide for an automatic renewal or termination of the lease if you do not otherwise notify the landlord at the lease’s expiration or before.
- 适用于宠物,儿童和使用设施.
安全的存款
保证金是实际属于租客的钱, but is held by the landlord for protection against damages or unpaid rent. The Landlord/Tenant Act regulates security deposits and places a limit on the amount a landlord can charge.
依法办事...
- During the first year of a lease, a security deposit cannot be charged in excess of two months rent.
- 在租约第二年开始的时候, a landlord cannot request a security deposit that is equivalent to more than one months rent. 因此, if the landlord asked for a security deposit of two months rent when you first signed the lease, he must refund the equivalent of one months rent at the beginning of the second year.
- 在租约的第三年开始时, the landlord must put any security deposit over $100 in an interest bearing bank account.
- 在租期第三年结束时, the landlord must start giving the tenant the interest earned by the account, 减去业主可以保留的百分之一的费用.
- 五年后, the landlord cannot increase a security deposit even though the monthly rent may have been increased.
当你刚搬进来的时候, 要求房东和你一起检查一下房产, and together determine any damage which might be subtracted from your security deposit. Also, make a list of any existing damage and repairs that need to be made. Keep a copy of the list, give one to the landlord, and attach a copy to the lease. Such records will assure that the security deposit will only be applied to damages for which you are responsible.