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Your landlord kept your security deposit
When a lease ends, most states require the landlord to return the deposit or send an itemized list of deductions within a set period, and to justify each deduction with real costs beyond ordinary wear. Disputes are won on documentation: the lease, the move-in and move-out condition records, photos, and the deduction list measured against what your state actually allows.
The documents you will see
- Your lease, especially the deposit and move-out clauses
- The landlord's deduction statement or itemized list
- Move-in and move-out photos, checklists, and inspection reports
- Receipts for cleaning or repairs you arranged yourself
The order to work in
- Read the deduction list against your lease and your state's rules: what was charged, and is it the kind of charge allowed?
- Compare each charge to your move-in and move-out documentation.
- Check the timing: did the statement arrive within your state's required window?
- Write a specific, item-by-item response with your evidence, and keep proof of delivery.
- If the response fails, your state's small claims process is the usual next step; local legal aid can confirm the path.
Deadlines, and where they live
Return and itemization deadlines are set by state law and commonly run 14 to 60 days after move-out depending on the state, and some states add penalties when landlords miss them or withhold in bad faith. Your lease and your state's landlord-tenant statute carry the controlling dates and amounts.
Primary source: Your state attorney general or housing agency's tenant guide.
The kit that does this work with you
Rental Security Deposit Deduction Dispute Kit: The landlord's itemized deductions. Your lease. Your photos. Four documents, one collision. Guide, editable workbook, and letter templates, $29.
New to PocketBack? Start with The Paperwork Audit, our free checklist covering six everyday documents, this topic included where it fits.
Scope: PocketBack kits are educational self-help resources. They are not legal, tax, financial, or medical advice, and PocketBack does not represent you or act on your behalf. Rules and procedures vary by state, plan, and situation and change over time; verify current rules with the official source before you act. No outcome is promised.