Whistleblower: West Fargo man feels cheated out of security deposit

WEST FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) -

Most who rent look forward to getting their security deposit back at the end of their lease. When Eric Zwingel opened his check, it was the opposite feeling.

"I was very upset. There were a few things I knew would be cleaned or touched up," he says. "But they took a large chunk of the deposit, roughly 60 percent."

He's been renting from Meridian Property Management in West Fargo for two years. He just signed another lease with them at another location.

"What we're upset about is that they are taking advantage of people that are renting from them," he says. "They're making money off of the security deposit and saying, 'Too bad.'"

If you rent like Zwingel, it might be a good idea to brush up on your rights.

Deposits can cost as much as one month's rent, more if you have a pet. Landlords can deduct for damages or unpaid rent, but not for normal wear and tear.

What has Zwingel so upset--when he questioned them, he says, they indicated the money from his deposit went to repairs he didn’t feel was needed. Repairs that included nail holes and painting that added up to more than $500.

We reached out to Meridian. They simply said, legally, they've done nothing wrong. The law says your landlord can charge you as much as they determine is needed for damages--even more than your security deposit.

So what options do renters have?

We also reached out to the Attorney General's Office. They told us they can't take complaints regarding landlord and renter disputes. They say you'd have to try your luck in small claims court.

"To file a report against a big company, like Meridian, is going to cost them more money then what they have," Zwingel says. "So most people just eat it."

But Zwingel’s not most people, saying he’s ready to fight in court.

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