A: "The simple answer would be no," your check register isn't sufficient, says Tacoma attorney Jay Goldstein. But your new landlord should already know what you paid, and here's why.

The law says a landlord must keep a damage deposit in a separate bank account and tell the tenant its location, including address. When a rental property changes hands, the seller must give the new owner an accounting of deposits and rent, Goldstein says. That owner likewise must keep tenant deposits in an account and let tenants know where they are.

If you haven't received that information, now would be a good time to ask about it -- and also ask if there's a written record of the move-in sums you paid. There should be.

There's more: the law doesn't allow a landlord to take a deposit unless there's also a written lease and a move-in checklist describing the property's condition. Since you didn't have a written lease your new landlord has no choice but to return your deposit. He can't decline to pay by arguing that you left the property in poor shape.

If neither you nor your new landlord has receipts to prove what you paid, you'll simply have to show this person your check register and argue your case. It's unlikely you'll be evicted if you don't pay the last month's rent because evictions are lengthy and costly.

Then once you're out, the landlord has 14 days to return your money. If you don't get it, take the landlord to Small Claims Court and show the judge your check register. Goldstein says you can greatly bolster your position by bringing along a witness or two, ideally a former neighbor who also rented years ago and can vouch that first/last and a deposit were standard practice.