Several Questions...

[Red Diamond]

We live in Orange County, and our lease is up to at the end of May. The landlord has sent us a renewal contract, which he wants signed or declined no later than 75 days before expiration.
Can he do that? I understood there was a 60 day rule on renewals.

We want leave and go another apartment complex, but they all tell us we will not get any word from them about available apartments until inside the 60 days.The lease renewal says if we do not renew the contract, at the end of the lease we must vacate. What are our rights here? This is not a rent-controlled complex. Can the landlord keep our security deposit?

It seems we are in a catch-22 position. We cannot get into anywhere else until inside the 60 days, and then we do not know if we will get anything at all, or we can sign another one year lease, complete with the 10% rent increase. What options do we have?

One last thing. When we signed the original lease, there was a $20 per month charge for using the gym, which was not on the lease, but which we were told we had to pay, regardless of whether we used the gym or not. We have never used it. Does the landlord have the right to force this upon us, since it is not in the lease?

Thanks for any info you can provide