Guides for renters

What the law says about your security deposit, and what to do when a landlord keeps it.

• How to get your security deposit back from a landlord

  Landlord kept your security deposit? The 6 steps renters use to get it back: the state deadline, a forwarding address, a demand letter, and small claims.

• Security deposit demand letter: what to include and how to send it

  What a security deposit demand letter should say, the state law to cite, how much time to give the landlord, and why to send it by certified mail.

• Normal wear and tear vs. damage: what a landlord can deduct

  What counts as normal wear and tear that a landlord can't charge for, versus damage they can deduct from your security deposit, with common examples.

• Suing a landlord in small claims court for a security deposit

  When to take your landlord to small claims court over a security deposit, where to file, what to bring, and what you can ask the judge for.