Topic Roommate Agreement Regarding Deposit ~ Question
I have resided (18 yrs now) in an Apartment in a 3 Story Brownstone Building where the Landlord is on ground floor and apartment above is a duplex with my self and two other Roommates.
Deposit History dating back to 1980's:
Before I moved in the 3 former Roommates & Roommates before hand~ never had a Lease nor did the Landlord collect Deposits from any of them.They just paid Rent to Landlord every month.
Why they started this type of Deposit (many yrs ago) is beyond me and it's never gotten resolved properly to be fair and in the end some of or all 3 of us Roommates will not get our Deposits back.
About 10 years ago a Lease was issued by Landlord after husband passed, and I was a Lease holder. I then drew up a Roommate Agreement for other two Tenants & part of it states~ writing in the History of how the Deposits are initially formed before I even resided in the Apartment and that if they moved out of their room, the person(new tenant of their room) moving in would give them their Deposit in total only if room left in good condition, if fixing needed do to any damage a portion deducted ect.
In the Roommate Agreement it states, the Landlord is not responsible/liable for Deposits. It also states that I the Lease Holder is also not responsible/liable for Deposits due the the history stated above.
Two years ago the Landlord ( whom now Elderly) has not given us a Lease and I am no longer a Lease Holder but a Tenant/Roommate like the others.
QUESTION: If the Landlord decides to Sell Building and or decides to give eviction to all 3 of us Tenants/Roommates we obviously loose any Deposit, which I am fine with but can the other two Tenant/Roommates seek Deposits even if they Signed the Roommate Agreement stating Landlord nor I are responsible/liable? Seems she is Elderly and her Family may move her within a year to a Retirement home and sell the building.
Any Advice would be greatly appreciated~ Thanks!!!