Peter and Mary had worked tirelessly for years to move into their dream apartment, but their excitement quickly soured when their landlord, Mr. Hollingsworth, refused to return their security deposit. The nightmare began after they left their old apartment, and Mr. Hollingsworth accused them of leaving the place in a filthy state with a cockroach infestation—accusations that were both absurd and infuriating.

We had just settled into our new apartment, and all seemed well until Mr. Hollingsworth’s scathing voicemail. He claimed the apartment was a disaster zone, filled with disgusting odors and pests. He declared that their security deposit was forfeit and demanded that they cover the costs for extensive repairs and clean-up.

Fuming and confused, I decided to investigate. We had installed a nanny cam in the old apartment, and reviewing the footage revealed a shocking truth. Mr. Hollingsworth had entered the apartment after we moved out, wearing gloves and a mask, and placed rotting food around the place to create the illusion of filth and infestation.

An older man bent over a couch | Source: Midjourney

Armed with this damning evidence, I consulted with a lawyer friend, Mark. We devised a plan to confront Mr. Hollingsworth. When we met with him, I presented the footage. His smug demeanor melted away as he realized he had been caught. Under pressure from Mark, he agreed to return our deposit and pay an additional $1,000 for the distress caused.

Back in our new home, we celebrated our victory with a toast, savoring the justice we had fought for. As Ethan played happily nearby, Mary and I reflected on our successful stand against exploitation.

The experience taught us the value of vigilance and teamwork. We were relieved to have secured our deposit and strengthened our resolve to never be taken advantage of again.