Security Deposit HELP! (leasing, costs, law)

[KCrewl]

Hello again!

I dont know if anyone has read my tirade about my HORRIBLE leasing office problems before, but those are all past since I have moved out.

Long and short: Long and Foster is taking off deductions for things that are arbitrary and we fully intend to argue them in small claims court. That aside, here is the situation.

We moved out on 7/31/11 which was the day of termination of our lease. I know by law that they have 45 days to provide the balance of our deposit minus any reasonable deductions or else they owe us the full amount. They sent us an arbitrary and very nondescript list of "items" they were taking off on 9/8/11. As you know, 45 days from 7/31/11 means today, 9/14/11, they need to have returned our deposit. The clarity I am looking for is this:

1) Does this mean I need to have a check IN MY HAND today, or does this mean they can mail it today and so long as it is postmarked today, (even if I get it Friday or Saturday) they will avoid having to return it all?

2) I read somewhere that they only have 30 days to provide the itemized list of their intended return or they may risk forfeiting the entire amount, even though they would have 45 days to actually send it. I assume that would be a means to allow 2 weeks to discuss any charges, adjustments, or to cut us a check. Is this true in Virginia? If so, that would mean the 9/8/11 list they provided was late, and I would like to know if I have grounds on that alone to suggest to a jude in small claims that they violated that time frame.

Any help would be amazing, since these people have been an absolute nightmare to work with. Whats worse, is they BUTCHERED my name on the list they emailed me. Not that its important, but when you deal with someone for 2 years you ought to know how to properly spell their name on a legal document. It just annoyed the tar out of me. Had to vent that one!

Thanks!

[KCrewl]

Update!

Interestingly enough, VA law states that they have 30 days from the date of repair/service to return an itemized list to me of the costs etc. that they intended to take out of my deposit as a result of that surface, or they shal forfeit all of my deposit. Just realized that 8/8/11 is when they had a service provided per their receipt, and they did not send it to me until 9/8/11. August has 31 days, therefore it was a day late and I intend to fight until the cows come home.