Moving out next month, need process, not products. How did you secure a full deposit? Photo log during lease? Quarterly touch-ups? Flag scuffs in writing? Pre-move walkthrough? 30/7/1-day checklist? Steps that worked, pitfalls to avoid. Small flat, no pros budget, doing it right. Did you patch nail holes, clean oven/fridge, and documents meter reading?
Renters who got your full deposit back, what did you actually do?
byu/YourxCherry inFrugal
Posted by YourxCherry
19 Comments
In addition to not damaging, I’ve found ample documentation to be the best motivator for landlords to do the right thing on the deposit. Check the tenant laws in your state and reference them in your documentation to the landlord. Goes a long way.
In my experience, the relationship with your landlord matters a lot. If they have a bone to pick with you, they will pick it off of your deposit. I’ve gotten money deducted from the deposit for leaving a couple of cleaning supplies under the sink (there were cleaning supplies under the sink when we moved in) when the landlords weren’t happy about something else.
Left the property better than I found it.
Always had rent paid on time.
Full deposit back on every place I have rented in my life.
honestly i think it usually comes down to how the landlord operates. i’ve left places sparkling clean after days of work and gotten dinged, and i’ve done no cleaning at all and received my full deposit back.
Photos on moving in, and taking care of maintenance as and when it was needed. Deep clean including fridge and stove, deep scrub of bathroom 4 days before I moved my stuff then just maintenance, as a room got packed and emptied, room got deep cleaned and then door closed, once stuff was out, deep clean of all remaining areas. I patched nail holes, if I had had direct access to my meter i would have taken photos of it.
Honestly, just documenting everything helps. Photos, patched holes, deep-cleaned kitchen, and meter readings. If your landlord sees that you’ve treated the place well, full deposit is much more likely.
Just a pre-move-in walk-through, not damaging anything, and cleaning thoroughly. I’ve rented my whole life, I have cats, and I’ve never lost a deposit. I always took photos at move-out in case I needed to prove cleanliness or lack of damage, but I haven’t needed to actually use them.
Landlords hate cleaning appliances, or should I say, they hate paying cleaners extra for appliances. Do a good job on those, patch holes and do any obvious fixes, throw out trash and do at least surface level cleanings. Only lost my security deposit from one shady landlords.
I lived in my apartment for 11 years, and got my full deposit back when I moved out. I vacuumed and shampooed my carpets with a hoover SteamVac I already owned, then took an o’Cedar spin mop and mopped the hard floors AND walls. Wiped down the bathroom, cleaned the kitchen, including cleaning out and wiping down the fridge and stove inside and out, and made a list of small repairs that the landlord would probably want to fix before the new tenant moved in. Made it as easy for him to turn over the unit as possible.
I’m sure with most property managers, the list of things to fix would probably count against the tenant, but my landlord was a decent guy and appreciated it. Honestly I probably didn’t have to do half of the things I did, he seemed appreciative of me as a tenant, hadn’t raised my rent in eight years, I think he just appreciated that I was a conscientious renter who always paid on time, and didn’t cause problems.
I made a big deal of taking photos of everything at the beginning. So landlord knows I know what damage isn’t mine. Left the place exactly as I’d found it. Well almost I wasn’t able to get some small stains out of his coffee table but he didn’t seem to notice.
As a landlord, I almost always return the full deposit. One time I deducted a tiny amount for a spilt juice stain on carpet. Unless it’s a big damage I prefer to let the tenant go on good terms
I have always received my full deposit back. What I do in a nutshell:
1. I patch (but do not paint) any holes or dings from removal of furniture, etc.
2. I vacuum the floors three times over (slowly), the final time with a deodorizer. I will spot clean if necessary – but I would have already have spot cleaned any spills when they happened long before move-out. I typically do not have to shampoo rugs, because I do not wear shoes inside the home. You’d be surprised how different a rug can look after three slow proper vacuums.
3. I replace cheapo window blinds myself if necessary.
4. I clean all appliances, surfaces and window sills. Anything that dirt, debris, dust and filth could or did collect on. Everything gets wiped-down. Cleaning corners well goes a long way for appearance.
Take photos of everything. Document all repairs as well as overall aesthetic shots. This is your documentation in-case you have to go to small claims court.
Essentially I leave the place in a condition that the landlord is going to come in and see that all they need to do is throw a coat of paint on the walls to be ready for the next person. I try to leave it so they will not think that any cleaning will be necessary. This way, I spend the cleanup/repair costs frugally instead of getting over-dinged by the landlord and whomever they would farm the work to. Otherwise, fresh-paint costs should always be on your landlord. Other repairs and cleanup will typically be on you if identifiable. If you want your deposit back, don’t give the landlord any reason to think they need to spend it.
I know I always get downvoted, but I have never not gotten all of my deposit back when I rented.
I used to work for a shady management company who ripped off tenants when they moved out.
I made this list to help my residents before I left the industry and it made a big difference and it got me fired.
Move out Cleaning Instructions:
Kitchen
-Clean inside, behind, under and around all appliances
-Clean oven inside and out, including knobs/buttons
-Clean range hood and filter, drips pans and coils
-Clean refrigerator, inside & out, behind, and underneath
-Clean cabinets, inside and out
-Clean breadboard, counters, and walls
-Clean dishwasher inside and out
-Clean sink, faucet, and under sink
-Clean floor and cove base, sweep and mop
Bathroom
-Clean toilet inside and out
-Clean shower, tub & shower head
-Clean medicine cabinet and mirror
-Clean sink and faucets
-Remove all mildew and wash walls
-Sweep and mop floors
-Clean cabinets and cove base
General
-Clean entrance door and threshold
-Clean all windows, sills, and tracks
-Clean closets, shelves, and switch plates
-Sweep and mop floors, vacuum carpets
-Clean marks off walls, sweep patio
-Remove cobwebs & wash light fixtures
-Remove all tacks and nails from walls and fill holes
-Remove personal items
Turn in ALL keys and leave your new address with the office.
DO NOT DUMP FURNITURE BY THE TRASH AREA!
I never have. I always clean the place before I go. The last place mailed me part of my deposit and a note that said, “Thanks for keeping the place so clean,” but still took some of my money and didn’t say why.
Then there is my husband. I was appalled at how he left his last place before we got married, and somehow, he got his whole deposit.
It 100% depends on the landlord.
Most of the time it depends on the character of the landlord. I had one who tried everything, thankfully it was with an agency and they said they were being a dick and just gave my deposit back anyway.
The last few moves I’ve asked the landlord to recommend a cleaner. So much easier to pay for a few hours post move clean than try to do it yourself. Plus its harder for them to argue about the cobweb on the u-bend when they were the ones who recommended them.
I documented everything day 1 in writing with supporting photos. Cleaned thoroughly at move out – including rug scrubbing. Took photos at move out before turning in keys. Still had to hire an attorney at 1 place, but it worked at the other 3. I wasn’t surprised about the 1 though. My brother had an emotional support animal that was fully trained (his disability only required assistance when he was alone and I was out a lot with a job and school so he didn’t need to always have her with him if someone were around to assist) and they tried to bust him for things constantly. I literally installed a camera that monitored noise/barking to prove they were liars and prevent being evicted mid year. This was not an animal problem because the other places literally thanked me when they handed back deposits for leaving the place in move in ready condition/being a good tenant. Some places you are going to have to fight no matter what, but if you are organized and well documented, a call from a local attorney for a small fee will probably be all you need.
When we were very low on money because of a disputed workplace comp and using our savings, our landlord gave us our deposit to help a little fiscally. He lived in the house across the street from our rental house and was almost a friend.
Spackle wall holes and paint, steam clean carpets, fix anything that’s broken. I got dinged once for the blinds being dusty. That landlord was looking for any reason to charge me.
I just didn’t have a shitty landlord that picked everything apart. I also took care of the place. I didn’t put holes in the wall or damage anything which probably helped. He didn’t make a fuss over minor scuffs
Recorded a full walk-through of the place before I moved in, recorded a full walk-through of the place after I cleaned, preemptively sent both of those to the apartment manager before they could state anything regarding the apartment so they did not have to backtrack telling me that I owe them money from a deposit.
It just prevented all of the Squirrley bullshit.