<prompt> Human: Hello Reddit,I entered a year lease with my boyfriend in California. Two months prior to the end lease date, he had to move back home to Virginia due to mental health problems. When we first signed the lease, I remember the landlady mentioning something about how if we both werent there to sign off on the end of the lease that she would keep the entire deposit. She made a reference to couples that split up and couldnt get their deposit back because they werent together anymore. If I provide medical documentation and his signature approving the sign off and inspection of the property, do I have more than a snowballs chance in Hell of getting my deposit back? My landlady has proven herself to be pretty spiteful and we had a battle over the fact that my boyfriend had a disability. Im afraid shell do whatever it takes to keep the whole deposit.  <response>: Nobody is physically required to be anywhere to sign a contract. If she needs a signature this is something you can handle with your boyfriend and a fax machine.Dont deal with her or her bullshit. Given notice that you are vacating on some date and say that you hope that your deposit will be returned in a manner consistent with the local and state laws. Also include a forwarding address. If you do vacate on that date she has 21 days to return your security deposit and an itemized list. If she doesnt then you sue her in small claims court and she automatically loses because she did not provide those two things and she pays you your security deposit as well as court fees.Its as simple as that. No need for a philosophical discussion of what constitutes a disability or to argue with her at all. 