More Security Deposit Troubles

[sammi]

Like many people, my husband was laid off after 9/11 and, after a lengthy job hunt, was only able to find work in Maryland. This, of course, meant that we had to break our lease four months short. I spoke with the people at our management company and alerted them of the situation three months in advance and I also went out and found a new tenant who signed a new lease at a higher rent rate. There was a fifteen day gap between my move-out and their move-in, and I paid the half-month's rent.

Now, I've received my security deposit back and it's missing a lot of money. The landlord says it's for painting -- a re-letting expense. Is it true that, if I break the lease (even though I found a new tenant and the apartment was not vacant) I'm responsible for painting the apartment - which would have had to happen no matter when I moved out?

It would have been a heck of a lot cheaper to paint it on my own -- which I would have done had I known in advance!