Our former landlord is not returning our security deposit to us, because we broke the lease in order to get into senior housing. Advice?

My kids own about 40 rental units. They have leases in place for just such an occurrence. Yes, it would be nice if they could refund you your money, but you broke a legal contract and they are out money they were counting on. When people up and leave in the middle of a lease, the landlords are stuck with a lot of work they weren't anticipating. In my kids' case, this is their INCOME--I'm sorry this happened, but look forward and forget about this. You could appeal to your landlord, but I believe in CT, they are required to repaint every time someone moves out--a huge expense, and one they weren't planning on incurring until you left (after your lease was up).

It's probably in your lease agreement that if you break your lease you forfeit your security deposit.

Around here if a lease is broken the tenant forfeits their security deposit and has to buy out the remainder of the lease.

dplenzi1947, glad you were able to get into senior housing, that is great.

Breaking a Lease with a Landlord can be costly to that Landlord. Landlord's also have mortgages to pay, property taxes, repairs, etc. And some Landlords will re-paint and re-carpet between tenants. There's also other cost involved trying to find a new tenant, and depending on the rental market in your area, that home could sit vacant for awhile.

I can understand money is tight for you and your husband but your Landlord could had easily demanded you pay the remaining five months [to the end of the Lease] or until the home had been re-rented during the time frame of the Lease.

When you didn't fulfill the obligations of the lease, the security deposit was sacrificed. You don't have a legal leg on this. If the lessor had returned it to you, it would have been a kindness. I would say to put this behind you and enjoy your new home. Sorry for the loss of money, but it happens when things are unpredictable like this.

The only way he has to return the deposit is if he has already rented the place out. The law was written to protect landlords.