Every renters deposit STOLEN by new apartment owner Vancouver, WA

[Drew Mim Mack]

Had a discussion with potential tenants for my SFR. Their current landlord bought the complex they live in about a year ago. He told them that their previous deposit left with the old owner and they had to pay him a new deposit to continue living there.

Is this legal?  Do they have to sue the old owner to get there deposits back or is current own full of (ENTER expletive?)  

[Marcia Maynard]

@Jerry W. What you say is true in Washington State as well. 

@Drew Mim MackTenants don't always relay information correctly and some intentionally lie. Highly unlikely this happened. But if it did, all security deposits the tenant paid during their tenancy to the previous landlord and the current landlord would need to be accounted for by the current landlord in the "final report on deposits" at the end of tenancy. Hopefully the tenant kept their receipts and/or the rental agreements show how much security deposit the tenant paid during the course of tenancy.