Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Hawaii
Security deposit
We paid our landlord $150/month for electricity. He never asked for any additional money. He has now given us a bill for $600 for the difference between what we paid and the bill. There is only one meter on the house in which three separate families dwell. Can he take this differential from our security deposit?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Security deposit
What does your lease agreement say about payment of utilities? How long was your lease for? The landlord must notify you in writing the reason for retention of your security deposit and all costs, like the supposed electricity, must be itemized in that writing and copies of the receipts must be included. This is a small claims landlord - tenant issue and lawyers are not able to represent either party in court. Be sure to notify the landlord that if his proof of this electricity bill fails in small claims court you (the tenant) can potentially be awarded up to three (3) times the security deposit plus cost of the suit. Aloha,
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