Security deposit deductions your landlord can't legally make
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Security deposit deductions landlords can't legally make — but routinely do. Jordan walks through the specific categories that show up on itemized lists (normal wear and tear, pre-existing damage, routine cleaning) that tenants never dispute because they don't know they're entitled to. Anchored in a real case: a client who got $1,400 back after sending one letter because the landlord had deducted for carpet wear in a 3-year tenancy.
Tenant rights is a core pillar, hero_text is the right format for a structured list post with a real-case anchor, and security deposits are Jordan's most concrete recurring teaching text. Nothing in recent content touches this lane.
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A client of mine got $1,400 back from her landlord. She didn't hire anyone. She didn't go to court. She sent one letter. The landlord had itemized the deduction as carpet wear after a three-year tenancy. That's not damage. That's called normal wear and tear, and in virtually every state, landlords cannot deduct for it.
This is the category that shows up on itemized lists more than any other, because most tenants don't dispute it. Here's what else they can't legally charge you for:
- Normal wear and tear — faded paint, minor scuffs on walls, carpet that looks lived-in after years of living. This is the cost of having a tenant. It is not your debt.
- Pre-existing damage — anything that was wrong before you moved in. If you didn't document it at move-in, that's a lesson for next time. But if you have texts, photos, or a move-in checklist, that documentation is your evidence.
- Routine cleaning — a landlord cannot charge you a $300 cleaning fee because they want the unit professionally cleaned between every tenant. They can only charge if you left it materially dirtier than you found it.
The letter my client sent cited her state's security deposit statute by name. It asked for itemized documentation of every deduction. The landlord didn't have it. Most don't.
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Your landlord's itemized list is not final. Here's what they can't actually charge you for. #tenantright #securitydeposit #rentersrights #knowyourrights
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