Realty Specialties 2230 E Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90803 Refuse to refund $1300 deposite after moved out, unit cleaned at own expense Long Beach California

  The owner Koka of apartment at 2230 E Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA refuse to refund my security deposite of $1300 after I moved out. I moved in about two years ago and I moved out a month earlier than end of my lease. The owner Koka told me if I can find him the next tenent then I don't have to pay one month rent as penalty. After couple of weeks of hard work I found someone and she signed the lease. The tenat even asked Koka to clean the unit before moving in, Koka called me and ask me to negotiate with the new tenant regarding the cleaning matters, and said if I take care of it, he will not deduct the cleaning fees from my security deposite and that my deposite will be returned 21 days after the moving out date.

I was stupid enough to believe him. I had the unit cleaned, and made sure the new tenant was happy. Then I moved out, and trying to call Koka couple of days after I moved out, NEVER EVER picked up the phone. I had my husband called as well, NEVER EVER picked up the phone. I had my husband using a company phone called, call was ANSWERED and the employee said he will be back months later (he never goes out of town for more than 7-10 days). Two months later, I ask some other tenants if he is back, they told me they saw Koka yesterday, thus I had my husband using the company phone to call again, the employee said Koka still out of country (for 3 months ???).

Never saw the deposite, not a penny was returned. Now me and my husband are working in a different state (I told Koka that before I moved out), we cannot even go back to California to solve this matter. What was more sad to me is that he has always appears to be nice and friendly, yet at the end he use you like a puppet and took the money in a shameless way. I don't care if he is rich but this is just not humane. If you are trying to rent apartment in 2230 E Ocean blvd, long beach, California, 90803, then you better be prepared to throw away what ever the deposite is. I took really good care of the place, yet still... The older tenants told us afterwards that Koka has refused to refund any money from the security deposite for many previous tenants. Be aware!