All Forum Posts by: Gavin Carlson

Hi Yvette, sorry you are experiencing this frustrating situation! Most of the requirements for a security deposit return are spelled out in CA civil code section 1950.5. In most cases, you are correct in that you need to submit documents to the tenant within 21 days of them vacating the property, but there is a clause in sub-section (g) that states you must provide an itemized breakdown of all charges against a tenant's security deposit:

"(g) (1) No later than 21 calendar days after the tenant has vacated the premises ... or not earlier than 60 calendar days prior to the expiration of a fixed-term lease..."

I presume that you have a signed lease with defined ending dates, so it seems that you could indeed hold onto the security deposit past the normal 21 days as the lease still has several months to go. Just to be on the safe side, I would suggest you consult legal counsel to get a definitive answer regarding this, but if you'd like to read the civil code pertaining to security deposits you can do so by following the link below:

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_disp...

Hope this helps and good luck!

Hi Pete, 

It you have access to the MLS, that may be your best bet. Zillow also is a great place to increase your audience as it post to several different sites automatically, such as HotPads and Trulia, in addition to the Zillow.

I'm not sure where you can go that also tracks apps and screens in one place besides paying for Property Management softwares like Appfolio. It may be just as easy for you to collect and screen the applicants yourself but pulling their credit history through a credit agency. 

Hope that helps and happy screening!