What should I do to get my security deposit back?

[wethrby]

I moved out of my rental unit in may 2011 all of my other room mates received their deposit checks in the mail about two weeks after our move out date. However I never received mine, I emailed them and they said that they mailed my deposit to the address of the house I was renting from them in hopes that I had changed my forwarding address with the USPS. I have changed it now but hadn't at the time they sent it. The problem is I provided them with the correct forwarding address just like all my other room mates. They said I would have to wait for them to receive my deposit back in the mail at their office or pay them a 25$ fee to stop payment on the check so they could issue a new one. I told them that was bull since i provided them with the correct address with plenty of time to send it to the correct address. Now they wont answer my phone calls or reply to my emails. What should i do? are they violating some law? I tried to look up rent laws in South Dakota but i'm not a lawyer and don't understand most of what I have read.

[caomh]

Go to the city court with the receipt of your deposit and lease and file a small claim against them. You will get a court date and be able to present your case to the judge. Once they receive the notice from the court they may even contact you to pay you to avoid having to go to court. Good luck!

[calin]

They gave you the options, which are reasonable. It's not their fault that you hadn't changed your address with USPS. They aren't violating any law and they did the right thing by mailing it to your legal mailing address, which is what USPS has.