Illegal Lockout by Landlord — landlord keeping entire security deposit

I'm dealing with a situation and need some guidance.

landlord keeping entire security deposit. I've been dealing with this for about 14 weeks now and the situation isn't improving.

I have been in this property for 3 years. My monthly rent is $1,398. I have a written lease.

What are the risks if I pursue this? What's the likely timeline?

Licensed attorney — a few thoughts. Here's my take on the legal issues.

This is a common situation and the law is fairly clear. Under your state's security deposit statute, properly documented.

I'd recommend documenting everything in writing from this point forward. Keep copies of all communications.

I went through almost the exact same thing.

I ended up having everything documented, which cost about $3-6 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

Not a lawyer, but I have direct experience with this.

In my case, it took about 4-8 months to resolve. The key was filing with the appropriate government agency.

NAL, but from what I've read, you should send a written demand. That said, definitely get a lawyer to look at the specifics.

I work in this industry and unfortunately this is very common. The good news is that when people actually push back with legal representation, companies usually settle.

I've dealt with this before.

I ended up hiring an attorney to send the initial letter, which cost about $2-4 but saved me a lot more in the long run.

I went through almost the exact same thing.

In my case, it took about 3-6 months to resolve. The key was having everything documented.

This happened to me too. Have you tried filing a complaint with the relevant agency? In my case they investigated and it got resolved without needing a lawyer.

I had a similar issue and ended up consulting with an attorney. It was worth the $200-300 for the initial consultation just to understand my rights.

I've seen this play out several times in my field.

In my case, it took about 2-4 months to resolve. The key was hiring an attorney to send the initial letter.

Not a lawyer, but I have direct experience with this.

The biggest mistake people make in this situation is hiring an attorney to send the initial letter. I'd recommend being patient with the process instead.

I went through almost the exact same thing.

The biggest mistake people make in this situation is hiring an attorney to send the initial letter. I'd recommend being patient with the process instead.

I've seen this play out several times in my field.

What worked for me was hiring an attorney to send the initial letter. It took 2-4 months but was worth it.

I went through almost the exact same thing.

The biggest mistake people make in this situation is escalating to a supervisor/manager. I'd recommend following the formal complaint procedure instead.

Just want to point out — the statute of limitations might be a factor here. In some states it's as short as 1-2 years. Don't sit on this too long.

This happened to me too. Have you tried filing a complaint with the relevant agency? In my case they investigated and it got resolved without needing a lawyer.

I had a similar issue and ended up consulting with an attorney. It was worth the $200-300 for the initial consultation just to understand my rights.

Following this thread — I'm in a very similar situation. Would love to hear how it turns out.

I went through almost the exact same thing.

What worked for me was hiring an attorney to send the initial letter. It took 2-4 months but was worth it.