Recently I have been searching for an apartment, as my current lease expires in two weeks. I checked out a property on S. 41st Street, with Al Rabady, a local real estate agent, who also owns (or co-owns) the property.

This is the listing on Craigslist, and according to it, the lease was set to start on June 1st. I saw the apartment on the 28th of May, and liked it, so I left a deposit check of 1 month's rent with Mr. Rabady to hold the apartment, and $25 for a credit check. I currently work part-time, and Mr. Rabady agreed that I would need a co-signer. He said he would e-mail me a co-signer application that day.

Come the 31st, I still had not received the co-signer application, though he did deposit the check. I called him that day and asked for the co-signer application that day, or my deposit back. He promised the co-signer application, but it was not delivered until Sunday, June 1st. Rather than sign a lease that would begin BEFORE I signed, I informed Mr. Rabady that I wanted my deposit back. He has refused, and in dealings between him and myself, and him and my father (the intended co-signer), he has been highly unprofessional (yelling, screaming, harsh language).

Firstly: Have any of you had dealings with Mr. Rabady? Is this an isolated incident? Secondly: Do I have a chance of getting my money back?

take him to Judge Judy

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The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? - Psalm 27:1

Well, I've filed with Small Claims court against him. A suggestion to anyone looking for an apartment or the like: do not deal with this individual. He is shamefully unprofessional (shouting on the phone and telling people to "shut up," for example), and terrible with paperwork.

i thought when you gave a deposit on a place its non-refundable

if you wanted the place you should have just amended the lease and changed the date on it ......

sounds like the guys a definite douchebag though

The deposit on a rental is a security deposit, to cover any damages done to the rental unit while you reside there. It is supposed to be refunded at the end of the lease (less any money spent on repairs).

The two times I signed leases, I got my deposit back at the end.

There's a simple way of assuring this: take pictures of the apartment before you move in, especially of any problem areas. Then, at the end, take pictures after your stuff's out.