Tenant Died & Partner Wants Deposit- Lease Assumed by Son...

[Brandon Sturgill]

I know this isn't legal advice, but I wondered if anyone has been in this predicament....one of our tenants from 2011 recently died. The original lease was signed by her and her partner in 2011. This couple was basically an on and off boyfriend/girlfriend deal. Even though the partner was on lease, he was reported to be a "deadbeat" and did not contribute any rent....but he did do the upkeep and yard work on the place. The dead tenants son was in the apartment as well, but not on the original lease. When the tenant died, her son stepped up and we put a new lease for him in place. The dead tenants partner is now requesting the original security deposit back from the 2011 lease...

What do you think? 

[Dutch Langley]

I think regardless of deadbeat or not, if the lease states that the security deposit should be returned upon conclusion of the lease unless certain conditions existed that it would need to be returned.