What Can a Landlord Deduct from a Security Deposit

If your landlord keeps part (or all) of your security deposit, they usually should charge you only for things you’re actually responsible for. That generally means unpaid rent and damage beyond normal wear and tear. They also usually have to send you an itemized list of damages and the cost of repairs—not just a vague “we had to fix stuff.”

Below is a tenant-first checklist to help you understand common “security deposit deductions,” and what you should expect to see in the paperwork when your deposit isn’t returned in full.

What landlords can deduct: unpaid rent and legally owed charges

Most of the time, the simplest category is money you truly still owe.

A landlord can generally keep some or all of your security deposit for things like:

• Unpaid rent
• Other charges that are legally owed to the landlord
• For example, if you owe utilities payable directly to the landlord
• Or storage fees in situations where that applies

If you’re double-checking this part, compare the landlord’s claim to what you agreed to in your lease and what you actually paid. If the math doesn’t add up, that’s your first sign to ask for details.

Tenant checklist (paperwork angle)

When the deduction is for unpaid amounts, the landlord should be able to show something like:

• What period the rent relates to (which month(s))
• The amount they say you owe
• How they calculated it
• That those charges are ones you’re responsible for under your lease or rules

Damage beyond normal wear and tear: what that usually means in practice

The big issue tenants run into is this: landlords can’t treat everything that looks “old” or “lived-in” as billable damage. They can charge for damage beyond normal wear and tear.

In plain terms:

• Normal wear and tear is the kind of aging you’d expect from ordinary use.
• Beyond normal goes further than what’s reasonable.

Common examples in the “beyond wear and tear” bucket include:

• Large holes
• Broken windows
• Major stains
• Other clear, physical damage that isn’t just time passing

This matters because it affects what you should receive. If they keep money for damages, they should support it with an itemized list of damages and the cost of repairs.

Tenant checklist (documentation requirement)

For any “damage” deduction, you’re looking for two things:

• A list of each specific damage item
• The repair cost tied to that item

If the landlord sends one total number without breaking it down, that’s a problem in real life—even if some deductions may be valid.

Cleaning deductions: when cleaning costs are allowed

Cleaning costs are one of the most common deposit deductions, and the details matter.

The California guide says a landlord can deduct for cleaning the rental unit to make it as clean as when the tenant first moved in. That’s a useful standard: not “the unit isn’t perfect,” but “the unit isn’t cleaned back to move-in cleanliness.”

So, what tends to make cleaning costs more defensible?

• Cleaning needed because you left it in a condition worse than normal use
• Spots or messes that go beyond what a landlord would reasonably expect after normal living

What usually makes cleaning deductions weaker:

• The unit was reasonably kept and just needs minor freshening
• The landlord is charging for “wear” that’s not really cleaning-related

Tenant checklist (cleaning-specific)

As you read the deduction, ask:

• Did they describe what needed cleaning?
• Did they tie it to a specific area (like carpets, kitchen surfaces, bathroom, etc.)?
• Does it connect to being “as clean as move-in”?

And again, you should expect an itemized list of damages and repair costs where applicable. Cleaning costs can be part of that list, but the key tenant expectation is clarity.

Repair and painting deductions: what landlords typically charge for

Repair costs and painting costs come up a lot because landlords want the place to look “finished” again.

In general, repair charges make sense when they’re tied to:

• Damage beyond normal wear and tear
• Problems that need fixing to restore the rental

That can include repairs for broken or badly damaged items, not just “it needs maintenance.”

Painting: when it’s more than “just repainting”

Painting is often used to make a unit look uniform after damage is fixed. Painting charges are more likely to be tied to a real repair need when, for example, repainting is required because of damage that wasn’t normal wear.

But if a landlord is charging you to repaint just because time passed or the paint needs minor touch-ups, that’s where the line gets blurry.

Tenant checklist (repair + paint tied to damage)

For any repair or painting deduction, match it to this logic:

• What exactly is the damage?
• What repair fixed it?
• Is painting part of making the repaired area match the rest?
• Are you being charged for repairs that are really “beyond wear”?

As always, the documentation expectation applies: if the landlord keeps any portion of your deposit, they should provide an itemized list and the cost of repairs.

Removal and disposal costs: what the top guides list

Another common deduction category is removal/disposal costs.

This usually covers situations where the landlord says they had to:

• Remove unwanted items
• Dispose of trash or debris
• Clear out things left behind

This can be valid if items were left in a way that required extra work to prepare the unit.

It gets shaky if it’s really just part of normal turnover cleaning, or if the landlord doesn’t clearly describe what was removed.

Tenant checklist (removal/disposal)

When you review the landlord’s list, check whether they clearly state:

• What was removed
• What it relates to (trash/debris/left items)
• What it cost to handle or dispose of it

Again, you want a breakdown, not one lump-sum deduction.

The itemized list requirement: what tenants should expect to receive

Here’s the part tenants should know well:

If the owner withholds any part of the security deposit, they must provide an itemized list of damages and the cost of repairs.

So even if you think you owe money (like unpaid rent), you still deserve a clear explanation of the other deductions.

What “itemized” should look like in real life

In practice, each entry should connect in a straightforward way:

• Damage item (what happened)
• Repair needed (how it’s fixed)
• Cost (what they charge for that repair)

If you only get a single number, or if the list doesn’t connect costs to specific issues, ask for the details.

One more tenant check

Also note that when deposits are withheld, tenants should receive the supporting details. The landlord can’t keep the deposit and go silent.

State differences: California deductions and limits

Rules vary by state, but California has some specific guidance that’s helpful for tenants.

California: what can be deducted (cleaning and repair)

The California guide says the landlord can deduct for:

• Cleaning the rental unit to bring it back to the cleanliness level it had when you moved in
• Repairing damage

That lines up with the broader idea: no normal wear and tear, but you can be charged for real damage and for restoring the unit when it’s been harmed.

California: what to watch for

Use the same checklist, especially for:

• Cleaning costs that seem aimed at routine freshening instead of move-in cleanliness
• Repair costs that might be disguising repainting or “make it pretty” work

Even in California, the itemized approach matters because the rule about providing an itemized list of damages and repair costs applies when the landlord withholds part of the deposit.

State differences: Arizona deductions and what can be deducted

Arizona comes up a lot because tenants want to know what deductions are allowed.

In general, the deduction categories you’ll see are the same core ones:

• Unpaid rent
• Damage beyond normal wear and tear
• Costs that tie to making repairs, cleaning, or otherwise fixing issues caused by that damage

Where this helps you is how you use the checklist:

• Don’t accept “we had to fix it” without the damage list.
• Don’t accept “it needs to be repainted” unless it’s connected to repair work caused by damage beyond normal wear.

Arizona: what to ask for

No matter what the state says, if your landlord withholds money, ask them for:

• The itemized list of damages
• The cost of repairs
• A clear link between the damage and each charge

That’s the fastest way to separate legitimate repairs from guesswork.

State differences: New York rules (including the itemized-damages requirement and the one-month cap)

New York is a major one for two reasons: the deposit is capped, and the law focuses heavily on itemizing damages and repair costs.

New York: the one-month rent cap

Under the New York security deposit law, most residential landlords can collect no more than one month’s rent as a security deposit.

That cap limits how much they can ask for upfront. It also helps explain why move-out deductions matter, because your deposit is limited to start with.

New York: itemized-damages requirement

New York emphasizes the rule that when a landlord withholds money, they should provide an itemized list of damages and the cost of repairs.

That means you should expect specifics—no totals only, and no vague categories.

Tenant-first checklist for New York (mapped to categories)

When you get the landlord’s breakdown, line it up like this:

• Unpaid rent
• Does it list what was unpaid and how it was calculated?
• Normal wear and tear vs damage beyond
• Do they describe the damage in a way that clearly goes beyond ordinary aging?
• Cleaning costs
• Do they explain what wasn’t clean and what cleaning was needed?
• Repair costs / painting costs
• Does each repair or paint charge tie back to a specific damage item?
• Removal and disposal costs
• Do they name what was removed or disposed of and the associated cost?

If the list doesn’t connect those dots, ask for corrections or more documentation.

What to do if your landlord doesn’t return the deposit or doesn’t provide details

If your deposit comes back with surprises—or doesn’t come back at all—don’t just accept it. Start by requesting documentation.

Step 1: Compare their charges to your checklist

Ask:

• Did they deduct for unpaid rent they can explain?
• Did they charge for damage beyond normal wear and tear, not just ordinary aging?
• Are there charges for cleaning costs, repair costs, painting costs, removal and disposal costs that match what they say you did?

Step 2: Request the missing itemized info

Because the rule is that if any part is withheld the tenant should get an itemized list of damages and the cost of repairs, you can ask for:

• The itemized breakdown
• Receipts or invoices, or at least a detailed cost estimate
• A clear connection between each charge and the specific damage item

Step 3: Get specific in your message

Keep your request simple and direct. For example:

• “Please provide the itemized list of damages and the cost of repairs for each deduction.”
• “Which cleaning costs relate to which specific issues?”
• “Which damage do you say was beyond normal wear and tear?”

Step 4: Check your state

Since details can change, do a quick “check your state” pass—especially if you’re in California, Arizona, or New York. The categories are similar, but the state rules and deposit limits can differ. (New York is the one that explicitly points tenants to the one-month rent cap for most residential landlords.)

If you’re moving out, use the checklist in this guide to compare your landlord’s deductions to what’s typically allowed and what documentation you should request.