How frustrating and I agree with not giving him back the full amount! Did you take pictures of roomies belongings and mess? I would have also taken pictures of the entire place after you cleaned it. We had a similar situation and the pictures came in handy in resolving the matter. You shouldn't have to prove anything to roomie, but you never know what he could say or do.

Good Luck!

Obviously, what happened isn't fair. BUT that's the way life is sometimes and your son has learned a number of valuable lessons that will help him protect himself in future.

What would I do? I'd approach the roommate and let him know in no uncertain terms that he needs to sign the check, then--after it clears, you'll give him HALF the returned money--bottom line, take it or get nothing. Yes, your son will be out a few $$$, and you'll be out all the time and effort you put into cleaning his mess, but that's the price of tuition in the school of life sometimes. I honestly think that's the simplest solution--the resolution that will make this go away the fastest. None of you need a long, drawn out fight that might end in small claims court, and might have an uncertain outcome, do you?

That happened to me once. My roommate left a mess for me to clean up but she knew that I'd have to clean it to get the deposit back.
This is really one of those live and learn things.
I'd tell your son to work it out with the former roommate.

Oh I really like Azzalea's solution. Quick an simple. If the ex room mate wants any money back he'll have to sign.

and now you understand exactly why apartment complexes set up the regulations the way they do. If not, then the apartment mess would be left and the complex is up a creek on costs.

When I was in that business, we always made sure at sign in that they understood exactly how the system worked.

There should be a written explanation of all charges so that you can make the roommate pay for his deductions...Just don't send him the check with your son's signature on it..........make him send it back to you for your sons signature.

The apartment complex took pictures and sent them, so we have them. I really almost feel like not giving the kid back anything, just letting the check expire. This kid was a real lazy jerk. He was raised in Singapore with maids to do everything for him. In the winter he had the heat cranked all the way up and in the warmer times he had the air conditioner cranked way low. the utility bills were astronomical. And we never got any money from the utility bills during the summer, when he was legally obligated. There's no way he's getting the full amount back, even if I have to take nothing. I am ticked.

forge the signature,and write the lazy sob off

I agree with what Azzalea said. Split the check evenly to make it easy.

I'm not sure if you can ever get your entire security deposit back regardless of how well you clean in a college town.. I know my DD and her roommate automatically lose $100. of their deposit for carpet cleaning when they move out. That was written in their lease. When DD lived in the dorms we helped her and her roommate clean when they moved out but we still lost $70. of the deposit because the tag was missing off the mattress pad!

I say forge the roomie's signature and keep all the money (or give some to your son, did he make a renters deposit when he first moved in?) If the roomie asks, tell him "We cleaned up 100% of your mess, so we took 100% of the refund." Hope your son learns a lesson from this. After my first roommate, I never had another, till my fiance and I moved in together. that was 34 years ago, and we're married the last 32.

If you had cleaned the roomies area too, your refund would have been bigger.

I would also just sign the name and cash the check.

Moni

They also sent a check made out in both boys' names, so I need to get roomies signature.
Since both names were on the lease, why not turn that check in and request that 2 checks be written to the 2 boys?

Hm, having read some of the responses.... Doesn't seem that an extra $150 is really worth committing a federal crime for (bank fraud/forgery)--but to each his own, I guess. Would those of you who have suggested that REALLY do it?

Chemo--I bet the landlord won't entertain that idea--he doesn't want to get in the middle of this one. To him, the 2 boys are a single entity, I'd bet dollars to donuts that the LL is going to stay well out of this one--LOL!

If your DS and his roommate were co tenants then the bottom line is whether he lived there or not he was still on the rental agreement. So half of whatever deposit you got back is his. It is not the landlord's job to determine who made the mess or divide the refund accordingly. They boys were both equally responsible for condition of the WHOLE apartment. The landlord wasn't renting rooms. He rent out an apartment. The landlord is obligated by law to make the check out to both. A landlord can't base the check or checks on hearsay.

It's a life lesson most all kids go through when first out on their own. The best way to have it not happen again is too let them deal with it. Your DS is an adult. Helping him move and maybe even helping him clean is what family does. But you need to stay out of the legal entanglements.

Your DS can take him to small claims court if he wants. Not really worth it but he can. Forge signatures and all that movie/novel/fantasy stuff and you could find your self out of a lot more than a few hundred bucks of cleaning deposit.

LOL ont_gal. I'm still giggling, too funny.

I'd get him sign and then let the cheque expire, only because I'm spiteful.

I totally agree with you, Azzalea. No way would I forge a signature.

There is no "life lesson" learned by my son, it's my money. We pay for his college education and living expenses.

It's really not worth haggling with this kid. I will send him the check and have him endorse it, then will send him a check for half.

You did not say if the roommate in question is still in the area. Could your son deposit the cheque with his endorsement and 'for deposit only' on the back? That way he would not have the hassle of having to track the roommate down and the money would be safe in the bank. He could then make the effort to find the guy to discuss the issues directly with him. Your son is a college student and living on his own, correct? If that is the case I would have him deal with it. But for now, get the cheque deposited into the bank. A call to the bank ahead of time with any questions might be helpful.

Good luck. Not easy but consider it a teachable moment.

Sooey

Though the thought of forging is there, in reality it's not a good idea. I was angry with my apartment when they did this to me. Had we been a "couple" we would have had a $100 deposit, but being two singles, we *each* had to pay a $75 deposit. Now that didn't bother me, but since we *each* paid a deposit, not the two of us paying $150 together, it wasn't right that the check would be in both names. I understand them not getting into the middle of a squabble, but there should have been two checks issued.

I'd just tell the guy to sign it and you'll send him a check for his share. Then send him his share. Be it 10â or $10 or whatever.

I also understand and would consider the do nothing and lose my share too if that bothered the other guy that much. Although you do deserve something at least for all the extra effort you put in.

I'd be afraid that the roomie would not return the check but instead forge your DS's signature and cash it himself..

How much money is this check?

Maybe I'm missing somthing but if the guy is a sub-letter, wouldn't your son have had to make the security deposit? I thought finding a sub-letter tenant was the other tenant's responsibility since it was rented originally to another person and your son. If that was the case, wouldn't the check be your son's only?

Tear the check in half and send the room mate his half.

Pooh Bear

I just reread and see that it was the sub letter that left the place a mess, not the original room mate as I thought.

It really comes down to the statute in your area. Was the sublet legally executed with the landlord's knowledge or did one guy simply move out and another replace him? What does the lease or rental agreement say? That is all that really counts in these situations.

And I respectively have to disagree. This IS a life lesson for your DS. Or it should be. Life lessons are learned in many ways. Even toddlers learn life lessons. They are not dependent on who pays the bills. It is the experience a person gains as they navigate through life. Hopefully your DS has learned something that will help him avoid this type of entanglement in the future. Why would you want anything less for him?

The sublet dude left his space a mess. He moved out when your son was not there -- maybe he couldn't wait for him to get back, maybe he just didn't give a darn.

And some of you think he'll be honest enough to sign the check and then send it back to you?

Maybe Sleeper should tell us how much that check is for -- maybe it'll be enough to make me eat my words about Sublet Dude!

I don't know how much the check is for, but I think you bring these problems upon yourself. You state, "That kid moved out (early one morning while DS was working). So we (DS,DH, and myself) were forced to clean the whole apartment, which was a mess. Took us many hours." The only person forcing you to clean up after your college age son is yourself. You state you pay for his college education and expenses. That is fine and dandy if that is what you want to do. I think you son should have some skin in the game but that is between you two. If it is an apartment and your son keeps his part clean, how big of a space could the slob really trash? Is your son part of the problem too? I think this is a life lesson for son to screen his roommates more thoroughly and to realize what mama had to go through in this ordeal. I bet he learned a life lesson even if you don't realize it. You will know if it happens a second time.

I know I sure as heck wouldn't want my mom to have to come clean up my mess the first time around in order for her to get her security deposit back.

I wouldn't forge the signature. Too much liability. I would tell my son it is between those two to settle the check issue. He can take what ever he gets out of the check and pay the difference for the new deposit on the new apt. That will teach him that money doesn't grow on trees. You have to make him accountable for his actions. That is what parents should do. Make him responsible.

I'm amazed that parents go clean their college kids' apartments. I know things are different than in my day but I'm always still dumbfounded by it. Neither DH nor I (or anyone else we knew) had their parents coming around to clean their apartments when we were in college.

You do learn a lot about accountability and responsibility when your parents aren't taking care of a lot of stuff for you.

It appears that there were two original renters. Did they give the landlord individual cheques?

If so, your son has an option of taking the cheque back to the landlord and asking for individual cheques for refund, doesn't he?

And son owes you a major portion of the amount of (his share of) the refund, doesn't he, if he generated a substantial portion of the mess? He cleans - or he pays: good life lesson.

If he knows the new address of the other fellow, I think that you should send that guy a bill for a major portion of the cleaning, if he were the one mainly responsible for the mess.

If it doesn't cost a lot to register a claim in small claims court in your area, maybe pitch that at the other guy, if he refuses to honour your bill. Rattle his chain a bit: life lesson for him, as well.

ole joyful

What amazes me, Gibby, is your judgmental attitude. If you don't have something other than criticism, stay out of the discussion. Perhaps I am not raising my children in the perfect way you raised yours, but that is for me to decide.

If only your son's name was on the lease I would ask the company to re-issue a check just to your son, or if both names were on the lease, then issue a split check with half going to each party.

If they won't do that, I would definitely NOT forge the kids signature. If you send the check to him for his signature, take a copy of it before sending to make sure the Singapore kid doesn't forge your son's signature. I'd send the letter return receipt so you know he gets it and when. And then ask that he return it within X number of days.

As frustrating as it is, many college kids learn this type of lesson the hard way. There are all types of roommates.

First of all, some of you need to read the post again. The parents did *not* clean the apartment for their son while he partied and played. They *helped* him clean it. That's very different and many parents would help their kids. Not all. I'm sure it wasn't demanded or expected but it was a nice gesture IMO.

After thinking about this, why should you have to track down the roommate? I wouldn't bother contacting the roommate since I assume there's not good feelings between them. I'd take the check to the manager and insist on separate checks, telling them you don't know where he is nor how to reach him, assuming that's the case and unless they want to pay you to track him down, they owe you (well your son since he should be doing this) and he wants his money. Ask if they sent another check with both names to the roommate! I'd tell them I don't have a power of attorney and do not represent him therefore I want my money right then and if not, I'd file a claim in small claims court against them for it. Yes, you'll only get half of the reduced amount, but half is better than none and it's their responsibility to find the roommate, not your son's. I doubt they'll look hard, and doubt the roommate will come looking for his money so you'd have the satisfaction of part of it back which you deserve and that the roommate won't get anything which is the amount he deserves. The apartment will benefit, which they shouldn't, but life's not fair.

Oh, and here, apartments are required to pay interest on the security deposit so be sure that's included if that applies.

Thank you, Cynic. I'm still not sure why it is "amazing" to some people that I would HELP my son clean and move from his apartment. Madison has a move-out weekend, so everyone is moving at the same time. It would be pretty difficult for one kid to move all his belongings on one day, clean, and then move his belongings into another place without help. I would be pretty amazed if a parent DIDN'T offer their help.

And thanks also for the tip on the interest on security deposits. Sure enough, Madison requires interest to be paid and I don't see interest included in this check. Maybe bringing that up to the company would be enough to convince them to cut the other kid his own check so I can be done with this. Oh, and there really are no hard feelings between DS and the old roomie. They got along well during the year despite their differences. I didn't really care for him, but I didn't have to live with him and saw him only a few times during the year.