by Kathy Trower

Created on: May 07, 2010   Last Updated: May 09, 2010

Renter deposits are a necessity for any landlord.  This is a godsend for a home/apartment owner when renters move. Here are some helpful hints, from a landlord, to get your deposit back.

First of all, when you rent a house/apartment make sure you annotate the things that were damaged when you moved in. Sometimes when it is a busy season, the landlord does not see the damage or is told by workers of the damage. If you can take a picture of it, with the date annotated on the picture, this is a valuable tool in getting your deposit returned.

If you rent the apartment/house, keep it clean. If the landlord says no pets, then don't sneak in a pet. You can smell that there have been pets in the premises.  Rugs hold pet odors and so does the entire abode.  If you disregard the lease requirements, then your deposit will be lost.

If you damage a rug, mar a wall, or dent an appliance, this might be overlooked as wear and tear. Large feats of destruction will ensure that the deposit is not coming back.  If you make a hole in the wall, dirty a rug, or some minor thing, you can spend very little cash and repair it.

When you leave, make sure that the house is clean and all of your items are removed.  When I have to go in and tote all of the trash or things left behind, you will not see your deposit.  I have removed sofas, beds, and chairs that were junk, that I had to cart to the nearest dump.  This uses my time and my gas.

Make sure that your rent is current when you leave.  If you owe me a month's back rent, you will not see your deposit. It paid that past due month's rent.

Landlords want to be fair, but they are not going to take a loss of revenue when renters leave.  If you were to keep the yard mowed, and the grass is knee high, your deposit is going to get this yard cut.

If you take light fixtures, sink faucets or any of  the property originally in the house/apartment, you will lose your deposit on that, also.

I, as a landlord, do not make monthly inspectiohs. I trust that my renters are caring for the property. If you have a problem with something in the apartment, tell me immediately. Don't wait until you move out, and then tell  me that this and that has not worked for months. Keep the landlord abreast of any repairs that are needed immediately.

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