Walk It Through: The Deposit That Did Not Come Back
Moving out, a forwarding address, a month of silence, and a list of charges for ordinary wear.
A tenant moves out at the end of a lease, cleans the apartment, and turns in the keys.
Two things a person in this spot might do. Picking one shows what the law says about it.
One tenant's deposit after a lease ends. A deposit held after a sale of the building, damage the tenant caused, and a counterclaim for unpaid rent are not worked through here.
A practice walkthrough, not a prediction of how any real one will go. Legal information, not legal advice.
Words this turns on
Terms with a legal meaning that is narrower than the everyday one. Each links to the definition and the authority behind it.
- HoldoverA tenant staying on without the landlord's consent after the tenancy ends.
- Ordinary wear and tearThe decline in a unit from ordinary use, which a deposit may not be kept to restore.
- Rental depositMoney a landlord holds of no more than two months' rent, kept in an insured account apart from personal funds, and returned or accounted for within 30 days after the tenancy ends and the address is received.