California (riverside County) – Landlord Gave 60-day Notice To Vacate, Then Changed His Mind A Month Later

Location: California (Riverside County) – Landlord gave 60-day notice to vacate, then changed his mind a month later. We moved anyway and now haven’t received our deposit after 21 days. Are we owed relocation assistance and deposit penalties?

Hi everyone, looking for advice on our situation in California.

We lived in the same rental house for about 13 years. It’s a single-family home. We have been essentially month-to-month, but every October we sign a renewal lease. None of our leases ever included language saying the property was exempt from AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act).

Timeline:

\- On December 28, our landlord served us a 60-day notice to vacate, stating he was going to sell the house.

\- Based on that notice, we began searching for housing, paid application fees, and prepared to move.

\- An entire month later, on January 27, he told us we could stay and said the property was actually his brother’s house, and that he needed money at the time.

\- He claimed he later sold his own house and gave his brother the money, so we could remain.

\- He then described staying as an “alternative lease option.”

\- However, public records show he has been the owner of this property since 2010.

\- By the time he changed his mind, we had already applied for other housing and continued with our move.

\- We ultimately moved out and handed over the keys on March 1, 2026, and provided a forwarding address.

Current issues:

1) Relocation payment:

Since he issued a no-fault 60-day notice and our lease never included an AB 1482 exemption notice, are we entitled to relocation assistance equal to one month of rent ($2,350) even though he later said we could stay?

2) Security deposit:

Our original security deposit when we moved in was $1,050, and our rent had increased over the years to $2,350 per month.

It has now been more than 21 days since we moved out and returned the keys, and we have:

\- Not received our security deposit

\- Not received any detailed itemized statement

\- Not received any receipts or explanation

Questions:

\- Are we entitled to relocation assistance under these circumstances?

\- Does the lack of an AB 1482 exemption notice in the lease matter?

\- What are our rights if the landlord fails to return the deposit or itemized list after 21 days?

\- Can penalties apply in this situation?

Any guidance or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.