A tenant advocacy group says it’s launched a campaign to stop “security deposit theft” by California landlords.
San Francisco-based Tenants Together has dubbed the initiative “It’s Your Money.”
The campaign website, www.YourDeposit.org, includes information about tenants’ rights, protecting security deposits — and a platform for frustrated renters to post their stories.
“Millions of dollars are being stolen from tenants every year,” Dean Preston, executive director of Tenants Together, says in a news release distributed Thursday. “It’s gotten so bad that tenants paying their security deposits don’t ever expect to see that money again. Something has got to change.”
While the California Apartment Association and Tenants Together don’t agree on all policy issues, CAA applauds the group for helping educate renters.
For its part, CAA requires that members abide by a code of ethical principles, which can be downloaded on this page.
“A resident has the right to the return of any security deposit that may have been collected by the rental property owner or manager and a good faith accounting of any charges against that deposit within 21 days after the rental residence has been vacated,” CAA’s ethical code reads.