Cash Security Deposit - No lease signed...

[Erich Beyer]

Hey all, my brother-in-law just let me know he and two friends gave a landlord a cash security deposit, and got a receipt but did not sign a lease. They had a verbal agreement to move in on the 1st of August, but the landlord was doing work that didn't get done and just told them that they couldn't move in until the 15th. They just went through the place which was still disgusting. Any thoughts on what you think their chances are of getting their security deposit back if they tell the landlord they want to find a different place? Options?