Tenants - Get Your Deposit Back

Ensuring the Best Chance for the Return of Your Security Deposit

One of the most common and frustrating problems both landlords and tenants constantly fight about is the move-out process. Property management companies act as an intermediary for the owner of the property and the tenants. We’re hired to protect the owner’s investment, but we’re also the main point of contact for tenants—and believe me, we genuinely want you to get back every dollar you’re entitled to.

A move-out where we can return 100% of the deposit is honestly the easiest, fastest, and happiest outcome for everyone. It means we can turn the property quickly, get a new tenant in fast, and everyone moves on with their lives—no drama, no headaches.

Here are the strategies that give you the absolute best shot at walking away with your full deposit:

Read your lease agreement

I can’t tell you how many disputes I’ve had with tenants who admittedly never actually read the lease they signed. Most leases aren’t draconian, but they are specific. Many include exact move-out procedures or reference a separate move-out checklist/guide. Follow it to the letter. That document is your roadmap to getting every penny back.

Put yourself in the shoes of the incoming tenant

After you’ve packed the truck and you’re doing that final walk-through, stop for a second. Pretend you’re the next family pulling up with the moving truck tomorrow. Would you be excited to move in exactly as it sits right now? Would you want to put your food in that refrigerator, let your kids use that bathroom, or cook on that stove tonight? If the honest answer is “no” or even “ehhh…,” go back and fix it. That’s exactly the standard we have to use when we do the move-out inspection.

Document the condition when you move IN (this saves you later)

The single biggest mistake tenants make is not documenting every scratch, stain, dent, or dirty area the day they take possession. Take dated photos or video the day you get the keys. Send them to the office with a polite email: “Just documenting move-in condition for both our records.” If something was already damaged or dirty when you moved in, you will never be charged for it later if you have proof.

Professional carpet cleaning is usually non-negotiable

Unless your lease has a mandatory carpet-cleaning charge built in (and you already paid for it), you’re almost certainly required to have the carpets professionally cleaned. A Rug Doctor from the grocery store does not count. Hire a real company with trucks and hot-water extraction. Bonus points: ask your management company if they have preferred vendors—these companies already know our standards and are high and will usually do it right the first time.

Either clean it like a pro… or hire a pro

Half-measures are the #1 reason deposits get hit with cleaning charges. If you’re going to clean it yourself, it has to be “white-glove, mother-in-law-is-coming-to-dinner” clean. If you’re not prepared to move the refrigerator and stove, clean the oven interior, wipe out every cabinet and drawer, scrub baseboards, clean windows and blinds, remove all cobwebs, and make the bathrooms look brand new—then don’t even try. Just hire professionals. Yes, it costs money up front, but it’s almost always cheaper than what we have to pay our cleaners when things are missed.

Touch-up painting: proceed with extreme caution

Nail holes, scuffs, and marks happen—that’s normal. But mismatched touch-up paint is worse than the original marks. If you’re going to touch up, make sure the color and sheen actually match. Better yet, magic eraser first, then touch up only if needed. Never fill nail holes unless you’re prepared to repaint the whole wall properly. A bad touch-up job almost always triggers a full-room repaint charge because it looks worse than the second the new tenant sees it.

There are no “do-overs” after you turn in the keys

Once you’ve handed over the keys and officially vacated, the clock starts. We have to get the property re-rented as fast as possible. That means we can’t call you back to fix something you missed. The house has to be rent-ready the day you leave. Do your final walk-through before you load the last box, not after.

Talk to us!

Seriously—call or email your property manager a week or two before move-out. Ask for the move-out checklist if you don’t have it. Ask who they recommend for cleaning/carpets. Ask anything you’re unsure about. We would much rather answer questions up front than have to charge you later.

Return every key, remote, pool pass, mailbox key, etc.

We can’t consider you “moved out” until we have every single key and device back. People forget garage remotes all the time and then get charged extra days of rent because technically they still have access. Drop everything off at the office and get a receipt.

Take move-out photos and keep every cleaning receipt

The day you turn in keys, do one final walk-through video or photos. Email them to the office with your cleaning and carpet receipts. It makes any potential dispute incredibly easy to resolve in your favor.

A few final truths from the other side of the desk:

• “I left it cleaner than when I moved in” is the most common thing tenants say…and almost never true. If you really did, you’ll have the photos to prove it.
• Repairs and cleaning are genuinely expensive. Our contractors aren’t cheap because they’re good, insured, and show up on time.
• We don’t keep deposits for fun. We keep them when the property isn’t rent-ready and we have to pay people to make it rent-ready.

Do these things and the vast majority of the time you’ll get every dollar back—usually within a few days of move-out. We love writing those full-return checks. It makes our day too.

Safe travels to your next home—we genuinely hope you love it even more than this one!