 Sal recently moved out of his old apartment and into this new one. He paid a security deposit when he moved into the old place. When he moved out, he made sure to give his old landlord his new address. However, his landlord sent him a letter saying he was going to keep the deposit for repairs. Where's my security deposit? I left that place in pretty good shape. I should get my money back. Sal talks to his neighbor, Betty. Your old landlord is supposed to give your whole deposit back to you the day you move out. Really? No, Sal. That's not necessarily so. Who said that? I'm the narrator of this video about the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants when it comes to security deposits. Oh good. Is it my old landlord supposed to give me my money back? Well, that depends. After you move out, your landlord has a certain number of days to give you your deposit back or send you a written statement showing why he kept some or all of the deposit. The number of days your landlord has to give you your deposit back or send you a written statement varies from state to state. If your landlord doesn't give you a written statement within the designated time frame, you're entitled to a full refund of your deposit. Well, he sent this letter saying he's keeping the security deposit to pay for painting the walls, replacing the carpet, and fixing the stove burner. Your landlord can't charge you for normal wear and tear, but your landlord can keep your deposit to pay for excessive damage. When you moved in, did you and your landlord fill in a checklist about the condition of the apartment? Yeah, we walked through and we each signed the checklist. I still have it. Did you give your landlord notice that you were moving out? Yeah, I provided him with written notice well in advance at the end of my rental period. What was the condition of your apartment when you moved out? How was the carpet? It was pretty much the same as when I moved in. It may have gotten a little worn out, but am I responsible for that? You should read your rental agreement carefully to see if it said anything specifically about the carpet. But from what you're saying, it sounds like normal wear and tear. Your landlord can't keep your security deposit to pay for normal wear and tear. How about the burner on your stove? That was broken when I moved in. We wrote that on the checklist. I asked my landlord to fix it, but he never did. Your landlord can't charge you for things that were broken when you moved in. What about the walls? Did they really need painting? Well, I guess I've been experimenting with art and I might have painted my name on the wall in the living room, but it looked good. All my friends told me. That sounds like more than wear and tear, Sal. Your landlord can keep your deposit to pay for excessive damage beyond normal wear and tear. Painting your name on the wall is probably excessive damage. Okay, but what can I do about the other stuff? How do I ask him to return the money? Start by writing a letter to him stating that you disagree with the charges and explain why. Ask that he refund that money. Make sure you tell him your new address and give him a deadline to return the money. What if he doesn't do it? Well, you would have to take him to small claims court and prove that you don't owe the money. You should make sure to keep any pictures or videos that you took of the apartment before you left and a copy of that checklist. Okay, I'm going to write to my old landlord now telling him that I disagree with the charges and why. Thanks. You're welcome.