Students who moved out of apartments Aug. 14 should have received their security deposits from their previous landlords by Sept. 5.
Megin Hicks, the program director for the Tenants Resource Center, said many landlords do not pay deposits back on time or in full and tenants can take action against them.
\Depending on the problem, [tenants] can decide to go straight to small claims court or file a complaint with consumer protection,"" she said. ""The first step, if it hasn't already been taken, is to talk to the landlord, send them a letter or give them a call,"" she said.
This is exactly what Dominic Mitchell, a UW-Madison senior, did when he was having problems with the return of his security deposit last year.
Mitchell said he did not receive his $450 security deposit before the end of the 21-day deadline. Instead, it took six weeks of making phone calls and sending letters to his landlord.
""[Landlords] know they have to pay back your security deposit with interest, they are just are lazy about getting the money back to you,"" he said.
Hicks said she recommends giving the landlord a deadline or ultimatum when a tenant calls to complain.
""Notify them in writing and give them a deadline like, 'I expect to hear from you within 24 hours of receiving this letter,'"" she said.
The ultimatum worked for Mitchell, who said he finally received his security deposit with the five percent interest that landlords are required to pay on the deposits.
""In the last letter I said 'if you do not return my security deposit in the next five days, I will pursue legal action,'"" he said. ""Of course they returned it quickly after that.""
According to Ald. Austin King, District 8, students need to learn their rights when it comes to renting and, if necessary, take legal action.
""Until we start actually going to court on a regular basis and suing for triple damages and winning those cases, landlords are going to keep ripping us off because its in their financial interest to do so,"" he said.
The telephone number for the TRC is 257-0006.
