Guides
In-depth guides
Longer reads on the parts of renting that cost people money when they get them wrong. Written to be useful on their own, with our calculators linked where they save you the arithmetic.
For landlords
A landlord's complete guide to security deposits
Collecting, holding, deducting and returning — the deadlines and paperwork that decide most disputes, and the five mistakes that cost landlords the most money.
Worked examples
Seven deposit scenarios, worked through
Seven move-outs with the actual arithmetic attached — what was charged, what the statute allowed, and what the gap cost. The deadline, proration and itemization traps, with numbers.
For renters
How to get your security deposit back
What to do in the weeks before you move out, how to read an itemized statement critically, and what to do when a landlord keeps money they shouldn't.
Looking for a specific rule instead? The state-by-state deposit law reference covers caps, deadlines, interest and penalties for all 50 states plus D.C., and wear and tear vs. damage answers whether a particular charge is fair.