06/17/2026
Your landlord has a right to keep your entire security deposit if you fail to give them a mailing address within a year of the end of the lease.
If you give your landlord a mailing address, your landlord must return the security deposit within 30 days of the end of the lease.
Your landlord can deduct money from your security deposit for the following reasons:
—Unpaid rent and fees;
—Cleaning and repairs to restore the rental unit to its move-in condition, but not for ordinary wear and tear; and
—Expenses related to a tenant staying past the end of the lease term.
If your landlord deducts money from your security deposit, your landlord must list the reasons for the deductions and the cost of each.
If your landlord fails to return your security deposit or deduction list within 30 days of the end of the lease, they forfeit their right to the deposit. However, your landlord can sue you separately for unpaid rent, cleaning, repairs, etc.
In security deposit disputes, the landlord must prove the reasons for withholding the deposit. When a landlord knowingly makes an illegal deduction, a judge may punish them by making them pay you up to two month’s rent in punitive damages.
