Suing the Property Manager Versus the Owner

Naming the wrong defendant wins the argument and loses the case — entity research comes first.

The short version

The deposit obligation runs from whoever held it: the owner, a management company acting for the owner, or both. Corporate registrations, business licenses, and the lease's parties clause identify the right name and capacity.

What to do, in order

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Evidence and records to keep

['Read the lease parties clause before anything else.', "Look up the management company's corporate registration.", 'Consider naming both owner and manager where the law allows.', "Match the defendant's exact legal name in the claim.", 'Verify the service address is a real, current one.']

Verify before you file

Deadlines, fees, and forms in this area are set by statute, court rule, or tribunal practice, and they change. Confirm the current requirement on the official your state self-help portal or with the clerk before relying on anything here. This page is general procedural information, not legal advice, and creates no attorney-client relationship.