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I have encountered a rogue landlord where I had informed that I was waiting to collect my keys to my new apartment & would not be fulfilling 18 months lease upon signing the tenancy agreement. The ask was to pay 2 months deposit for my rental unit which I’ve agreed. I’ve reminded my agent that I would be anticipating to collect my keys in Q3 2023 back in Mar 2023 & have informed in Sept 2023 when I’ve received my TOP letter. I’ve originally informed that I would anticipate to vacate in Dec 2023 while getting my new place ready & had originally planned to shift out on 12 Dec 2023, however there was a potential tenant who wanted to shift in by 11 Dec 2023, plans were made to shift out the week before & handed over the unit on 8 Dec 2023. However, the landlord wanted $3,700 rent for a 2-bedroom unit & he had rejected the previous tenant’s offer. He had insisted that I have to top up the rental difference of the new tenant which is totally absurd & there’s no such unreasonable clause mentioned in the agreement. In good faith, I have fulfilled my accountability as a tenant & had returned the unit in good shape & also left some pieces of furnitures behind to ease the rental for the next tenant.

Yet the landlord wanted a back to back rental which had nothing to do with me & wanted to deduct 80% of my 2 months deposit due to his whimsy ask of the $3,700 rental. I had informed my agent that I would not hesitate to seek legal recourse to recover my 2 months deposit in full, not to mention that I’m fine to not pursue the remaining rental of 11 days which I had paid in advance for Dec rent.

Could I also seek recourse via Small Claims Tribunal for such disputes?