3 Tips To Get Your Security Deposit Back

3 Tips To Get Your Security Deposit Back

Your security deposit is gone?

Isn’t that how you feel once you sign the dotted line on the lease the day you move into your apartment? Did they charge you for carpet cleaning? It’s like the money never existed the moment it enters the landlord’s hands. Most people don’t even consider getting the security deposit back , thinking it is a lost cause to ask for it. You have much more on your mind if you are part of the Navy living in the Norfolk or Virginia Beach areas as you are getting ready for deployment not cleaning your apartment.

Getting Your Security Deposit Back Using These 3 Simple Tips

It’s your money, and you have the right to have the security deposit back if you are no longer living in the apartment. Some landlords like to say that they are keeping the deposit due to normal wear-and-tear. Yet don’t fall for this trick. Landlords are only allowed to keep your deposit for these reasons:

  • Unpaid rent
  • Repairing damages
  • Cleaning in perpetration for next tenants

If you kept up with rent payments, you can tackle the other two items on the list so that the landlord has no reason to keep your security deposit. Move out with everything owed to you by following these 3 simple tips.

Tip #1: Fix Minor Repairs

Repairs come in all shapes and sizes. Carpet repairs from bleach or stains, or maybe you have a few nail holes in the wall where you hung up pictures, or you may have a large hole caused during a wild party. You can fix these repairs easily yourself with a bit of time, sawdust (or toothpaste) for the small holes, drywall for the large holes and paint. Spot dyeing and carpet patching can be done by a trained carpet repair expert. Never take on a repair that is beyond you, such as repairing a broken window. You could cause more unwanted damage and lose out on more of your security deposit. Let the landlord fix major repairs or call a pro.

Tip #2: General Cleaning

General cleaning involves the basics. Remove any clutter from the rooms. Vacuum and sweep the floors. If you have stains on your rug, be careful not to lock those pesky stains in. Some very common carpet spotters will set stains making them impossible to remove even for a professional carpet cleaner. You will also have to do tile and grout cleaning in kitchens and bathrooms that have porcelain tiles. If you have a place with a lot of stained carpet, you can rent a carpet steam cleaner or hire a professional carpet cleaner to do the floor. Keep in mind it is common practice on many leases to have the carpets cleaned by a Carpet cleaning Company. Make sure you save the receipt. Land Lords can have short memories sometimes.

Don’t forget to clean out the refrigerator and stove. Those are the two appliances that almost everybody forgets about. There is nothing worse to the landlord than to walk into the apartment and be confronted by the funky smells coming from the appliances as they see the set-in stains.

Tip #3: Paint Touch-up

While most landlords won’t charge you for painting the walls since they do this every 2-to-3 years to freshen up the appearance of the apartment, a landlord will get on your case if you leave scuff marks, marker ink or other stains on the wall. Clean the wall as well as you can. If you still see the stain, paint the area to cover it up. Always lay down drop clothes to prevent the paint from getting onto the floor as the wall dries.

Enjoy the Return of Your Security Deposit

By doing these simple tips, you’ll have more of a chance on getting your security deposit back. Make your case with the landlord to release your security deposit after completing the cleaning and repair work.