For many renters the subject of the security deposit is a somewhat touchy subject. Most renters assume they should receive their security deposit back in its entirety as long as there is no significant damage done to the apartment. However, this is rarely true as there are a number of factors which contribute to whether or not the security deposit or a portion of the deposit will be returned to the renter when they vacate the premises.
Did You Do Any Major Damage?
Certainly doing major damage to the apartment such as putting holes in the walls, breaking appliances, or tearing up the flooring may warrant the security deposit being kept, but even in these cases the leasing agent must justify these costs. In other words, the leasing agent cannot use one damaged item to justify keeping the whole security deposit. Instead, the leasing agent is obliged to determine a cost to repair or replace the item. If this estimate is large enough to justify not returning the security deposit the renter should be informed of the estimated cost of repairing the apartment.
Is Your Apartment Clean Enough?
All apartments should be cleaned thoroughly before the tenant vacates the property. This should include extensive cleaning of all rooms of the apartment including the bedrooms, bathrooms, and any common areas. A cleaning should also include cleaning of all of the blinds in the apartment. Blinds can be rather difficult to clean and many leasing agents charge approximately $20 per blind if they deem there is a need to clean these items. This can add up rather quickly if there are a number of windows in the apartment.
Many leasing agents also perform a number of standard cleaning functions when any resident vacates the property. This may include items such as cleaning out the refrigerator, shampooing the carpet, or repainting the walls. When these items are required, there is typically a fee associated with each item. In many cases, adding up these required fees results in a number which is likely already approaching the sum of the security deposit. Additionally, leasing agents often only allow for one hour of cleaning services to prepare an apartment for the next residents. This is rarely enough time to complete the work and therefore renters wind up being charged an additional fee at an hourly rate.
Have You Read Your Contract Documents?
Renters who want to have the greatest chance of having a large portion of their security deposit refunded to them should be very familiar with their contract documents. This is important while living in the apartment as well as while getting ready to vacate the apartment. It is important to be familiar with the contract terms while living in the apartment because it can prevent the renter from making decorating choices which are explicitly prohibited by the rental agreement. These types of decisions can be costly in the long run because they may result in the renter being assessed for perceived damages by the leasing agent.
Renters should also carefully review the contract documents as they are preparing to vacate the property. This is important because it may help the renter to clean and make repairs to the apartment in accordance to guidelines set forth by the leasing agent. Doing this will make it much more likely the renter will not be assessed exorbitant fees at the conclusion of the rental agreement.
Be sure to have extensive pictures at move-in signed by both you and leasing agent that clearly shows the condition of the unit. In addition, schedule a walk-through with the leasing agent, get new pictures, and make sure you both sign off on everything. Schedule this as soon as possible but not on the last day. This will allow you to the care of any issues that come up without you having to pay additional monies in rent in addition to repairs.
Crown Realty Experts can assist you in navigating these issues.
