Ten Tips to Help You Keep Your Security Deposit

The security deposit paid at the beginning of your lease is essentially a promise-you are giving your word, and your money, that you won't trash your new home. However, when the lease is up, your landlord is going to look for any damages beyond normal wear and tear. With a little common sense, and a little planning, you can minimize damage to your apartment and keep your landlord happy-as a bonus, you'll get your hard-earned money back!

Before You Move

1. Take photos of what the apartment looks like before you move one stick of furniture. If you find damage, be sure to document it so that it does not reflect on you during your lease. Photos are great, and you can also write down an itemized room-by-room description of any preexisting problems. Some landlords will ask that you create this inventory, others may not, but it is in your best interest. Keep a copy for yourself and give one to the apartment office.

2. Pad sharp corners of desks, dressers, bookcases and other large, bulky items. As you move these items, particularly if the apartment has a staircase, you may bump the walls and scrape off paint. A few layers of newspaper secured with masking tape is all you really need to pad the corners.

3. Plan your wall decoration. The fewer holes in the walls, the better. Use a yard stick and level to keep pictures straight-if you get it wrong, you'll have to put more holes in the walls and this may affect your deposit. Make sure you follow your landlord's guidelines for picture hanging.

After the Move

4. Keep kitchen counters clean. Spills, if left alone, can become stains on your countertop. Clean any spills immediately. Also, clean underneath kitchen appliances often to avoid marks and stains you may not be able to see.

5. If you have pets, particularly cats, keep them from scratching at the carpet. Trim their claws or, if necessary, have them declawed. Also, use common sense with your animals. Don't buy a puppy if you live in a 4th floor walk-up; if you have to housetrain him you'll never get him outside in time.

6. Be careful with candles! Not only do you run the risk of setting your home on fire, wax is very difficult to remove from carpeting.

7. Don't smoke. It's very easy to do irreparable damage to carpeting, wood, countertops and sinks if your lit cigarette accidentally falls from the ashtray. Smoke outside, if you must.

8. Maintain your plumbing! Call the apartment maintenance/repairperson as soon as a problem occurs; don't wait or procrastinate. Plumbing problems can mean floods, and water can do hundreds of dollars worth of damage.

9. No partying. It's terrible, but it's true. More damage occurs in apartments during parties than just about any other time. Drunken guests do not have the same reverence for your home as you do. Keep the parties low-key or skip the alcohol.

10. When you are ready to move, if it is cost effective, steam-clean your carpets. You can rent or buy a steamer relatively cheaply or hire someone to clean for you. This is a great way to ensure that you've taken care of any carpet damage.


These ten tips are certainly not all of the measures that can be taken, but keeping these key points in mind-and using a little common sense-can keep you on the path to retaining your security deposit at the end of your lease.