Anxiety Attack

It's 2:33 AM, and I'm awake because I can't sleep. I have tightness in my chest, and I'm having difficulty breathing because I am so upset about a situation that is going on. I have no one to talk to about this right now, and I need to get it out somewhere.

The situation that has been going on with my former landlords has been causing me so much anxiety. I paid them rent on time every month. I did not destroy or mess up the apartment that I rented from them in anyway. I was a good tenet. I decided to move out because I was paying for the apartment with a student loan. I wanted to cut costs by moving into another place with roommates and not taking out a loan for the next year. I gave them even more notice that I was moving out than it stated that I needed too in the lease. I cleaned the place and left it spotless before I left. I did right by them in every way.

Now, they will not send me my security deposit back, and it's been three months. They've sent me two bad checks that have bounced, and I've gotten charged high fees for both of them. They keep telling me that they promise that they are going to send me the money, and they never do.

I'm really upset with the situation. I feel like they are taking advantage of our relationship - since, one is a colleague, and I formed a friendship with the family while living in the house. I keep calling and emailing them, and they keep promising that they are going to send me the money. But, more time keeps going by, and it's causing me an extreme amount of stress because I am a broke college student. The money that they owe me - almost 1,000 - is the equivalent to a full months pay for me. It would have paid for two months rent. I don't know what to do.

If I ever didn't pay them rent on time or bounced checks on them, they would have flipped out. But, it's okay that they can write me bad checks and that they can not pay me on time?

I've never been in a situation like this before because this is the first apartment that I ever rented. The worst part is that one of the landlords is a colleague, so I have to see this person on a frequent basis - almost daily basis. In many ways, they have ruined my summer. The stress and anxiety of getting the bad checks - thinking that you have a certain amount of money in your account - that you can afford certain things - and then, watching your bank balance go back down - for example - has been really upsetting. I made an eye doctor appointment when I thought that they had returned the deposit. It cost me almost $200. I thought that I had the money for it, but after the check bounced from them, it caused major problems from me. I didn't know that the check would bounce (this was the first time).

I feel like someone is torturing me. This whole situation isn't right. Nobody who considers you a real friend or who cares about you would short you almost $1000. Between having to see this person in the future and not having the money that is mine that would have helped me financially, I have reached an extreme level of anxiety. Constantly having to remember to contact them and remind them every week that I'm waiting for the check, all of it - this whole situation is not right. I hate to complain like this, but I'm so upset that I cannot sleep. I feel completely helpless in this situation.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how I could deal with this anxiety and/or these individuals? I am worried that if I run into this person, I'm not going to be able to handle it, and I'm going to say something that is extremely nasty. I don't want to fight with them. I just want the money that is rightfully mine back. But, I cannot handle having a conversation with someone like everything is okay when they have put me through all of this torture and still owe me this much.

Post Edited (db8787) : 8/2/2011 1:27:18 AM (GMT-6)

Thank-you for commenting. I appreciate it. I do agree that karma will get these people. They have a new tenet who I do not believe will be as easy going as I was about all of the things that happened throughout the year and the level that the building is being maintained.

DB, I can understand why you feel so bad, they are really unbelievable! You have been very patient and kind. I think shanny is right, what goes around comes around and it surley will for them. But also have someone talk to them, if you doing it causes you stress then have someone intervene. Is there someone who can help that way? I understand the collegue situation is sensitive but please know that people who behave that way probably have no idea the stress they are causing you.
Keep us updated! ANd just know that this too shall pass.

I finally did get to sleep last night, and I wanted to thank everyone who responded. Just hearing others validate that what they were doing was wrong helped me alot. I agree that the best thing that I could do, if I run into these people is to walk away because of the position that they have put me in. I'll continue to hope for the best in terms of them returning the check for now. I was trying to avoid getting them in legal trouble because of my association with them - which they don't seem to be respecting. You almost feel blindsided when someone you trust or who you made an agreement with takes advantage of you like this. It's sad that they have completely destroyed a friendship and do not seem to feel any remorse about it. It's amazing that people their age could wake up every day feeling good about themselves knowing that they stole money from a colleague (in one's case) and an already poor college student.