Moving Out Of Your Apartment? How To Get Your Security Deposit Back In Full!

November 28th, 2011 by Crystal Beran| Posted in Apartment Guide, Apartment Life 2.0, Apartment Living, Apartment Relationships, College Housing, Moving, Moving Tips, Off Campus Apartments, Resident Life, Roommates, Tenants & Management Relationships, Tips & Tricks | No Comments »

An apartment landlord will take a deposit from renters for a variety of reasons. The deposit can help cover the cost of rent if a tenant can’t pay one month and it can cover the costs of cleaning that landlords need to front after their tenants move out. While there’s nothing wrong with paying a deposit, this fee can get lost in the shuffle.  Here are a few ways to work with your landlord and protect yourself so that you can make sure you get your deposit back at the end of the lease.

1. Document the state of your apartment when you arrive.

When you first move into a new apartment, the most important thing to do is take photos and video of the unit. Perform a walkthrough with the landlord and check off the form your complex gives you but take it a step further and, instead of just writing that there is a crack in the bathtub or that the paint is peeling inside the master bedroom closet, take a picture to go along with your written description. Make absolutely certain that you examine every element of the apartment thoroughly. This means you’ll need to open up cabinets, test out all the windows and perform much more than just a cursory glance of the apartment. The more thorough you are in the walk through, the more protected you’ll be when it comes time to get your deposit back.

2. Take good care of the apartment when you live there.

Whether you’ll be in an apartment for six months, a year or a decade, the best thing you can do is treat it as if it belonged to you. Clean up messes as soon as you find them, repair anything that becomes damaged and be gentle with the apartment. The best way to get your deposit back is to give your landlord no reason to spend it.

3. Clean up thoroughly when you move.

Unless you have some professional cleaning experience, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to clean the apartment to pristine condition but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Clean everything you can: the inside of the cabinets and drawers, the windows, the walls, the carpets, the appliances. Make sure everything, including all the garbage is out of the house as well. If you’ve laid the groundwork, a professional cleaning crew may only take an hour instead of a half a day, saving you a lot of money. If you’ve given it a decent try, it’s also possible for the landlord to decide to pick up the tab on the remainder of the cleaning bill.

4. Document the apartment on your way out.

Perform another walk through with your landlord after you’ve moved out and cleaned the apartment up. Again, you’ll want to document everything in writing and in video or photo. Agree on anything that needs to be fixed and get everything in writing so that there aren’t any surprises later.

5. Know your rights.

Some states require that the deposit be returned within a couple of weeks while others give landlords a couple of months to pay back tenants. Some states may also require that the landlord pay interest on the deposit. Know the laws in your state so that you’re able to get everything you’re entitled to.

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