Question:
I am about to vacate an apartment that I have been renting for the past year. Just found out that the property manager is jewish and possibly the owner of the company as well. According to my contract I am entitled to receive my deposit plus interest? Is there a problem for me to take the interest, or perhaps the question should be whether there is a problem if he does not give me the interest?
Answer:
The property manager merely passes on your payments. However, if the landlord is Jewish, it is forbidden to take any interest form him, especially if it was fixed and agreed beforehand that he would pay it. You should inform the landlord that you cannot accept the interest. If he sends it anyway, in this case you need not return it.
I know the question is old, but I want to point out that at least in the US when there is a legal lease (and not a handshake agreement) the deposit must be kept in escrow. It is not the landlord’s money at all, he is just holding it in case the tenant damages the apartment and he is forbiden from using it.
Thanks for the point.
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