SAL CURATO REALTY & PROP MGMT

Description of Work: We rented a home on a written lease and partial verbal agreement. It was very well know that I was being forced to move from a home that had gone into foreclosure and was auctioned while we were renting it. We were asked to move and found a house available through Curato Property. At each visit to the office for payments and paperwork, I made it VERY clear that we were renting only long enough to finish our Escrow on a home we were purchasing. The terms of the agreement in the lease said 12 months but, per Shawn, I was coddled into thinking that it would be an easy transition to move and break the lease under the agreement that they knew were were buying a house and it wouldn't be a "big deal". The owner of the home, Mr. Austin, also knew that were were buying a home and would not be occupying for the full 12 month period. Everyone acted so happy for us and congratulated us on our focus and goals. Never was it ever clarified to us that they would still try to get all the months rents' due and keep our deposit. As of now, they have kept nearly the entire deposit but have not tried to make me pay for the last 6 months of the lease that we didn't occupy the house for. I know what the law says but they way we were suckered into renting, even though we had our intentions clearly laid out, was very dishonest. We were lead to believe that it would be no problem if we had to move before the 12 months were up and that they were very good at helping things along. Three days after I submitted my 30 day notice, I received a letter (on March 3rd) from Sal Curato excusing us from our lease and prorating our April rent for the first and second in the amount of $57. There was no contingency letter letting us know anything more would be owed. We cleaned the place and turned the keys in on Saturday the 2nd of April and happily moved into our newly purchased home. After 24 days (on April 26th), I received a check for $70 out of $1050; the legal time limit is only 21 days to return a security deposit. They had taken all my money for the month of April and for cleaning the carpets, without notifying us that they had changed the terms of the letter they had mailed and we had received on March 3rd. We had the carpets cleaned when we moved in 5 months prior, in November because it was filthy and our socks were brown from walking around the house. It wasn't neccessary for them to do them again, but I'll let that slide. What bothers me is that the letter Sal sent me on March 3rd clearly said that the only monies owed were for the first and second days of April and nothing more. I have yet to decide if I will pursue legal action.