Moving out soon and dreaming of that fat security deposit hitting your bank account? Same. But if you skip a few key steps, that money can disappear faster than free pizza at a party. Let’s break it down so you walk away with every penny you deserve! 🚀 ⚒️1. Physical Damage = The #1 Gotcha Everyone knows “don’t trash the place,” but pre-existing damage will bite you if you don’t document it on day one. - 📸 Take timestamped photos of EVERY little thing when you move in (cracked mirrors, stained carpet, chipped paint, dents, etc.) - Fill out the move-in checklist completely and send it to your landlord (email + photos = gold) Do this or they’ll happily charge you for that cracked window that was there before you even unpacked your first box. Been there, hated that. 💳 2. Unpaid Charges They Covered for You Bounced rent check? Returned payment fee? Wiring fee that got reversed? If the landlord ate those costs and you never reimbursed them… yep, it’s coming out of your deposit. Read your lease — these are almost always spelled out. 🕒🔧 3. Late Fees & Repair Call-Out Fees - Max late fee in Virginia = 10% of monthly rent - Some leases make YOU pay the $50–$100 “tenant-caused” service call fee Skip those payments during the lease? Landlord can (and will) pull them from the deposit at the end. 🧹✨4. Cleaning & Maintenance — This One Hurts the Most “Broom clean” is NOT enough when you’re renting. Landlords want PROFESSIONAL level: - Professional carpet cleaning (yes, even if you think it looks fine) 🧼 - Chimney sweep (if there’s a fireplace) 🔥 - Pest/flea/tick treatment (especially if you had pets) 🪳 - Brand-new HVAC filters (change them every 30–60 days anyway, but 100% replace before you leave) - New fridge water filter - Cut the grass, trim shrubs, remove EVERY piece of trash/recycling 🗑️ Leave any of this for the landlord and watch hundreds vanish from your deposit. Pro tip: schedule the carpet and pest people a few days before your final walk-through. ✅ Final Move-Out Checklist (Do This or Cry Later)

Only if those deposits are going to where they're supposed to be going. I've had this come up several times actually, where you'll have a, um, listing agent say, oh, just pay it to me and then I'll pay it to the seller, or I'll pay it to the, to the, uh, to my company. You cannot do that. A security deposit could be paid by wire TO THE COMPANY THAT'S DESIGNATED AS THE ENTITY TO HOLD THE DEPOSIT. Some companies may have business accounts through these apps, and then you can pay the security deposit through that BUSINESS ENTITY app -- not to the agent, who then turns it over to the landlord or the real estate brokerage. Mishandling of funds is one of the leading reasons that agents and brokers lose their licenses because of putting the money in the wrong account. Co-mingling, holding business funds in private accounts, etc., is all a pathway to disaster!