{"id":1305,"date":"2024-04-23T15:45:31","date_gmt":"2024-04-23T22:45:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinghelpblog.uhaul.net\/?p=1305"},"modified":"2024-09-09T15:02:00","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T22:02:00","slug":"get-your-security-deposit-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.movinghelp.com\/move\/get-your-security-deposit-back\/","title":{"rendered":"Security Deposit: How to Get Yours Back"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whether you move into your first apartment<\/a> or fifth apartment, you\u2019ll most likely have to put down a security deposit to secure your new home. A security deposit protects a renter and a landlord, which is why most places require them when signing a lease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moving Help\u00ae<\/a> will guide you on what security deposits are, tips for getting them back, state-specific regulations, and what to do when you don\u2019t receive your security deposit back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is a Security Deposit?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A security deposit is money given to a landlord, lender, or seller of a home or apartment as proof of intent to move in and care for the home, according to Investopedia.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on your lease, a security deposit can be refundable or nonrefundable. A refundable security deposit can be used to make sure the tenant takes care of the property they rent while living there. A non-refundable security deposit could be a pet deposit in case of pet damage by the end of the lease. Of course, tenants will want all the security deposits \u2014 whether refundable or non-refundable \u2014 in writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A security deposit can be used to pay for damage or lost property when a person leaves the home. If written into the lease, a landlord could keep all or a portion of your security deposit. If you leave the home in a good condition with normal wear and tear, you should receive your entire deposit back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planning for Security Deposit Return<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you plan on receiving your entire security deposit returned to you when you leave your rental home, you can take multiple steps even prior to living in your new home to ensure you receive the full deposit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking Pictures and Videos of Your Rental Unit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before you even place one moving box or one piece of furniture inside your home, take pictures and videos of everything inside your home. This includes the ceilings, floors, and walls. This way, you won\u2019t get charged for preexisting damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if the apartment has a hole that you didn\u2019t create, you\u2019ll want to document it now, so you\u2019re protected when you move out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clean and Take Care of Spills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The best way to keep your security deposit is to clean your home yourself or hire someone to clean your home for you. By keeping a clean home, you won\u2019t have as much dirt, grime, and clutter that could come back to haunt you when you move out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You also should take care of any spills or accidents. If someone spills a beverage onto your carpet, or your dog has an accident on your hardwood floors, you should clean it right away. It\u2019ll be easier to clean right away and less likely a stain residue will appear later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not sure where to start with your cleaning? You can check out our \u201cApartment Cleaning Checklist<\/a>\u201d article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reviewing the Lease and Giving Proper Notice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you must break your lease, you\u2019ll want to review your lease agreement. It should be written in your lease whether you forfeit some or all of your security deposit. If it\u2019s not clear, contact your community\u2019s manager or landlord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you plan to stay at your rental home for the duration of your entire lease before moving to a new home, you still must give proper notice to your landlord. Again, the question to, \u201cHow much notice do I need to give my landlord\u201d can be found in your written lease agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some leases require 30 days of notice, others require 60 days of notice, and multiple leases require a different number of days before moving out of your apartment<\/a>. If you don\u2019t give enough notice, you might lose your entire security deposit because it could qualify as breaching your lease. Another concern is your landlord might auto-renew your lease because you didn\u2019t give enough notice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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You\u2019ll need to give a written notice<\/a> to your landlord with a forwarding address written in your notice. The best way is to have it delivered certified mail with a return receipt request or to email it to your landlord requesting an email back confirming they understood and read your email. You also can use both options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You want your notice to vacate to be written down. Even if you send an email, we recommend you create a Word document and attach it to the email, so there\u2019s no confusion that your landlord missed it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be Present During Your Apartment Inspection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you move out, your landlord will conduct an apartment inspection<\/a> on your rental unit. While you\u2019re not required to be present during the inspection, we highly recommend you be there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This way, you can go over any comments or concerns your landlord might have about your unit. If you don\u2019t like your landlord, this will help prevent them from pulling any shenanigans on you. You can try to see whether you can fix your apartment \u2014 such as repainting a wall back to its original color \u2014 without any money coming out of your deposit, and this will prevent any disagreement between you and your landlord when they might try to deduct from your security deposit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you conducted an apartment inspection with your landlord or by yourself when you first moved in, your landlord should use this same paperwork when reviewing your home. You also want to make sure you have all your pictures and videos of any preexisting conditions ready to go prior to your inspection date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cleaning and Maintenance Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While we talked about keeping up with your cleaning during your time living in your rental unit, you\u2019ll want to consider a deep clean before you move out. A spotless home will make it more difficult for a landlord to justify keeping part of your security deposit for cleaning<\/a>. Plus, they\u2019ll appreciate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You have two options for a deep clean:<\/p>\n\n\n\n