Whether by choice or by necessity, renting a home or apartment can come with many benefits, including the possibility of getting your security deposit back.
For one, you don’t have to worry about things like a mortgage, making costly home repairs, or worrying about having to sell it if you have to relocate at any time.
Plumbing and Apartment Life
Another added benefit is that most of the time when you rent an apartment you put a security deposit down, and when you move out there is a big chance to get that money back.
In fact, for most renters that is something they look forward to and want to do everything possible to make sure they get that chunk of change back.
If you are a renter and want some tips on how to always get your deposit back, here are four ways to help you to do so.
Take pictures of everything
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When it comes to getting your deposit back being safe rather than sorry should definitely be your motto, and that’s where taking photos of everything comes in handy.
Right when you move in, make sure to document every part of the apartment with photos, especially the parts where you notice even the slightest damage.
This ensures that you are not held responsible for any of that damage, and if you leave the apartment just as you left it (or better) you are more likely to get your deposit back.
Do your research
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Not every landlord or property manager is alike, and sadly there are those out there who make it their goal to not give renters their deposits back.
Before you move into an apartment or rental home make sure to do a lot of research on who you are renting from and if possible look at reviews on how they treat their tenants and the rate of deposit returns.
You can look on websites such as rooftoprentals.net and others like it to find reliable properties and property managers who are going to be fair about handling your money.
Know the expectation
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One easy way to make sure you get your deposit back is to talk to your landlord and find out what they expect in order to return a deposit.
You can even ask them to walk through your apartment right before you move out and find out things that you have to do in order for them to give the deposit back.
This also ensures that there will be no confusion on your part as to the expectation and that they also don’t try to hold on to it because they will have outlined all that you need to do.
Know your rights
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As was mentioned before, there are landlords and property managers who, despite everything you do, will not be willing to refund your deposit, so it’s important to know your rights.
When you sign your tenancy agreement make sure to review it carefully and review every byline in regards to getting the deposit back. If you abide by what is outlined and what they expect of you they are legally bound to return that money to you, and if needs are you can even prove it in court if you have to.