Tenants Cancels Lease - Keep Deposit?

[Carlos Rovira]

Sourcing opinions here:

Tenant signs lease, gives 1 month deposit, cancels lease 3 days prior to moving in. Lease calls for 2 months liquidated damages upon cancellation. Keep deposit I currently have or be nice and return it? I already found a new tenant so not costing me extra in vacancy to return their full deposit.

[Todd Plambeck]

Since you were able to replace them before you lost any rent, I'd put this one in the no harm no foul category and return their deposit.