Get Your Deposit Back When You Move Out

Many Americans are stuck in rental agreements with no option to ever buy a property. Naturally, the high costs of buying a home are making it difficult to ever save enough to purchase one. 

The cost of living is rising, while wages are not keeping pace with inflation, so a larger share of a household budget must be devoted to essentials such as healthcare, transportation, education, and groceries.

It’s no wonder tenants find it hard to save money, especially since rental properties are not exactly cheap. 

To make matters worse, most tenants struggle to retrieve their deposits after vacating a property, leaving a significant dent in their budget. 

Why Are Landlords Keeping Deposits?

There may be several reasons your landlord keeps all or part of your deposit when you move out. 

Sometimes, with sufficient legal advice, a tenant can retrieve some or all of the deposit.

But in most cases, landlords have no issue holding onto the deposit over some mishaps that would be preventable with a little planning: 

• Visible signs of wear and tear
• Damages to the property 
• Property left in a messy or dirty state (even without significant damage) 

Nonetheless, while there are cases where tenants have failed to care for and maintain the property, these do not represent all tenants. So what can you do to avoid any issues with your deposit? 

Plan Your Move Out Carefully

Failing to plan is planning to fail. When you move out, there are many things to prepare and consider, so you need to start early to ensure you pack carefully. 

This will ensure you have ample time to pack your belongings and return the rental property in the best possible condition. 

When you rush your packing, you will run out of time to clean or address minor issues. 

Fixing Small Things

Nobody is asking you to repair the roof or install new windows. But some minor issues can be easily fixed by a handyman without breaking the bank. 

Here are the things you want to return in good condition: 

• The garden fence is for anything that requires no more than a few nails or fresh varnish
• Small repairs to the deck

These small touch-ups will leave a positive impression.

Any major repairs are the landlord’s responsibility unless you caused the damage. 

You can, however, provide documentation that the landlord has been kept informed about the need for repair. 

Cleaning 

You want to leave the place spotless. This includes dusting and vacuuming, but also mopping the floor and/or providing special care to flooring systems before leaving: 

• Polishing hardwood flooring, if necessary
• Carpet-washing carpeted floors
• Using specialist cleaning products for tiled floors

You can also clean appliances and windows. 

What difference does it make? Essentially, if the property appears freshly cleaned, signs of normal wear and tear are less noticeable, and landlords are more confident that you looked after the property. 

It may sound silly, but getting your deposit back is all about staging the property.

You need to make it look as good as, or even better than, it did when you moved in.

While this may involve some investment, such as cleaning and minor repairs, it is worth it in the long term.