Painting the Walls

Not a fan of your landlord’s choice of paint? Consider getting over it. After rent and pet damage, Barone says painting the walls a new color is a common reason people lose their deposit. Leases often stipulate that tenants should not paint without prior approval.

Don’t assume you can simply paint it back when you move out. That may be the remedy, but you’re risking your deposit and your relationship with your landlord by not checking first.

Smoke Damage

If you’ve ever been a smoker or lived with one, you know the odor from cigarettes (and increasingly, cannabis) lingers. Check your lease and any local laws before lighting up indoors or even outside the property. States and cities often prohibit smoking in multi-unit buildings because smoke easily drifts between apartments.

Beware trying to get around the ban, too. Painted walls and carpeting soak up smoke like a sponge. If your lease prohibits smoking and you do it anyway, your landlord’s going to notice. Carpet cleaning, fresh paint, fixing burn marks — any of these costs can be taken out of your security deposit.

Leaving a Mess Behind

When you move out, your rental unit needs to mostly look the same as the day you moved in.

Remember, normal wear and tear is OK. Slightly faded wallpaper, a bit of peeling paint, worn linoleum by the back door … these are all pretty standard. But if you’ve left behind a pile of garbage and rats have taken up residence, that’s on you.

If you clean out the refrigerator, take out the trash and don’t leave a huge mess for the landlord to deal with, you’ll probably get your deposit back. Psst — if you are moving out, this rental move out checklist might come in handy.