Moving out of your home is a significant change. You are leaving a place you spent a lot of time in and starting a new chapter of your life. So it’s safe to say it’s an emotional thing. But it is also a considerable financial change. Especially if you decided to upsize to a new home. So, saving as much money as you can is crucial.

That’s why you need to make sure you get your full security deposit back. Too often, people lose a lot of that money because they hadn’t read their lease or simply didn’t know what to do. And that is a big waste because you can easily avoid those things. So we decided to shine some light on that topic and share some ways to get your full security deposit back.

Make Sure You Understand Your Lease

You would probably be surprised to learn that many people don’t get their full security deposit back because they simply didn’t read their lease agreement. Or they read it but not thoroughly enough.

When you decide to move, you should immediately read your lease. Even if you think you remember it well, reread it, just in case. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Go through all the requirements and rules that are listed in your lease.

Like when do you have to give notice for moving out? What are the cleaning requirements? And so on. If there are things in the lease agreement you don’t understand, ask your landlord to clarify them, so you know exactly what is required of you. You must learn these things early to have enough time to fulfill all the requirements and get your money back.

Take Photos- in order to get full security deposit back

Sometimes things can get really messy between landlords and tenants moving out. Especially when it comes to pre-existing damage to the property. Landlord says one thing, tenants say something else, and it quickly turns into a nightmare. And very rarely do you get your full deposit back in these situations. This is something you have to prepare for early.

You should take photos of any pre-existing damage as soon as you move in. These photos (with a date on them) will be handy when negotiating your security deposit with your landlord. If they at any point want to deduct money from your security deposit in the account of damage (that was pre-existing), these photos will ensure that doesn’t happen. And you will get all of your money back.

Check for Hidden Damage to Get Your Full Security Deposit Back

Sometimes you lose some of your security deposit money due to lack of effort. People tend to fix and clean only the surface of the apartment they are leaving, which costs them a lot of money in the end. Don’t be lazy and look through the apartment for any hidden damage you made over the years you lived there.

It won’t take much time but will save you a lot of money. A little bit of effort goes a long way in these situations.

Consult the Landlord

This will depend on your relationship with your landlord. If you aren’t on good terms with your landlord, you should avoid doing this. But if you have a good/friendly relationship with them, this can be the key to getting your full security deposit back.

Talking directly to your landlord about getting your security deposit back is a great approach. Ask them to go over the lease agreement with you and clarify anything that needs clarification. You can even ask them to look around the apartment and tell you if they see any potential issues with you getting your security deposit back.

Chances are your landlord will appreciate you taking the initiative and being so direct.

Deep Clean

Sometimes the only thing standing between you and your full security deposit is an efficient cleaning session. That’s right; your landlord often wants you to leave the place as clean as you found it. It would be a horrible gesture to leave the apartment messy and dirty.

You can do this on your own and get your friends to help. Or, if you want to be sure it’s really spotlessly clean, hire professional cleaners. That will guarantee that even the most hidden spots in the house will be perfectly cleaned.

Declutter

Decluttering is a crucial step when moving out. The key is leaving the apartment in the same condition you found (except for the natural wear and tear). In other words, it means getting rid of any junk and clutter you don’t want to carry to your new home.

You can’t just leave all those things there. Your landlord definitely won’t appreciate it. So don’t be lazy and get rid of these things before moving out.

Hire Pros for Moving

If you want to get your full security deposit back, you should consider hiring a moving company. Anyone who knows what can go wrong when moving on your own will tell you that it’s easier with the pros.

For starters, you can accidentally cause property damage if you decide to do the entire relocation process by yourself. Like when trying to move a piece of furniture with sharp edges or something really heavy. All of that will come out of your deposit money. With experienced pros, you will be sure that this won’t happen.

Give the Keys Back to get full security deposit back

This is a tiny but nevertheless important detail. After cleaning and repairing everything, it is easy to forget something as small as giving the keys back to the landlord. But that is not an excuse. Make a reminder for yourself to return the keys (from the apartment, gate, mailbox, etc.) to the landlord and avoid losing any money.

In Conclusion

As you can see, it’s not that complicated to get your full security deposit back. The key is to be prepared and plan early. A little bit of effort can save you a lot of money.