Can my landlord keep my security deposit?

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Question

Can my landlord keep my security deposit?

Anonymous Jun 1, 2015 Business 6 views 3 answers

My landlord says he is keeping my security deposit which is 1,000 because I had signed the lease for the upcoming year of 2015-2016. Yet there was a second spot that was supposed to be signed by my mom and he never got her signature so I told him that I should not be held reliable and accountable to loosing my 1K because for our previous lease my mom and I both sighed it. What I want to know is what can I do because he broke a law of making the security deposits more than a rent. Then he also breached the lease by not doing the walk through with us, and I want to know if I can get my 1K back because I need it for school. The other side is that this all happned in NH and I am a resident in Vermont

L. Maxwell TaylorLitigation LawyerMiddlebury, VT · Accepted Answer · 2026-06-15T14:50:08+00:00

I am confused by your post. You say the landlord is keeping your security deposit and that you signed the lease for 2015-26. I suspect he means you don't need to put down a new security deposit, he's just applying the one he already has to the new lease. So he's not "keeping" it (as in "now it's mine"), he's just holding onto it as security (as in "I'm holding onto your security deposit so that if the premises are damaged when you move out I have some money to make repairs"). Is this what's going on? The other thing is, I can't tell where the premises you are renting are, in Vermont or in New Hampshire. If they are in Vermont, Vermont landlord-tenant law is going to apply, but if they are in New Hampshire, New Hampshire landlord-tenant law is going to apply. So I'm not giving legal advice here, I'm just asking questions. Maybe you can repost your facts with some clarifications.

Sigismund Wysolmerski · Accepted Answer · 2026-06-15T14:50:08+00:00

I agree with Max your facts need to be clarified if you want an answer. If the residence is in NewHampshire please post on the NH board

Lars A. LundeenPersonal Injury LawyerRutland, VT · Accepted Answer · 2026-06-15T14:50:08+00:00

I would suggest that you contact legal aid in New Hampshire, and arrange a meeting to discuss the situation. Bring your original rental contract and also the one that is only partially executed. Your situation will be covered under New Hampshire landlord-tenant and contract law.

Can my landlord keep my security deposit?

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