Guides
Holding, deducting, and returning deposits with a paper trail that survives a dispute.
Start here · 8 min read
One $1,800 deposit followed from collection to a $1,126 itemized refund: what you can deduct, when you must return it, and how to prove it.
Guide · 8 min read
A documentation pattern for holding, deducting, and returning a deposit so an evidence trail exists if it's ever disputed.
Template · 5 min read
Two copy-paste letters, full return and itemized deductions, plus the line-item discipline that makes the second one stick.
The landlord-side evidence a judge actually asks for, in order: signed move-in report, dated photos, receipts, and the mailed itemization.
The deadline keeps running. Mail to the last known address, keep the returned envelope sealed, and send unclaimed money to the state.
The defensible way to charge a tenant for damaged carpet or paint: prorate by remaining useful life, with three worked examples.
Guide · 7 min read
A security deposit is not income when collected. The moment you keep part of it, the rule flips. Here is the year-of-forfeiture math.
A 40-item sorting of wear vs damage across walls, floors, blinds, and appliances, each with a typical cost and the useful-life cap.
Whether deposits need a separate or escrow account, what commingling costs you, and how to set one up at a normal bank in an afternoon.
All guides · written by a landlord, not a marketing team.