What can a landlord legally deduct?

Security deposits are not the landlord's money. They are your money, held in trust against specific, provable losses. That framing decides everything about which deductions survive scrutiny.

Last updated August 2026

Start my demand letter — $29 Check my deductions

What landlords can generally deduct

Unpaid rent. The clearest and least arguable category.

Damage beyond normal wear and tear. Caused by you, your household, or your guests — negligence or abuse, not ordinary aging.

Cleaning beyond ordinary. Restoring reasonable cleanliness, not achieving show-ready condition.

Unpaid utilities you were contractually responsible for.

Costs from breaking the lease early, where the statute and lease permit, usually subject to the landlord's duty to try to re-rent.

What landlords generally cannot deduct

Normal wear and tear — the whole point of the standard.

Pre-existing damage that was there when you moved in. Your move-in documentation is what proves this.

Routine turnover costs — repainting on schedule, routine carpet cleaning, replacing worn items that reached the end of their useful life.

Full replacement cost for depreciated items. The loss is what the item was actually worth, not what a new one costs.

Repairs the landlord was legally required to make anyway, including habitability items.

Charges with no itemization, where your state requires an itemized statement — in many states, missing that requirement forfeits the deductions entirely.

The itemization requirement does the real work

Most states require a written, itemized statement of deductions delivered within a fixed number of days. This requirement is the tenant's leverage, for three reasons: it forces the landlord to commit to specific claims in writing; it starts a clock they can miss; and missing it carries a penalty in many states that can exceed the deposit itself.

If you received no itemization, or a single unexplained number, you are not arguing about carpet any more. You are arguing about a statutory violation — a much stronger position.

Your state sets the actual rule

Deadlines, penalties and itemization requirements differ everywhere. Open your state for the statute, the exact deadline, and what the penalty is for missing it.

Texas · 30 days California · 21 days Florida · 30 days New York · 14 days Illinois · 45 days Massachusetts · 30 days All 50 states + DC

Already been charged for this?We prepare the demand letter, cite your state's statute, dispute the specific charges you name, and mail it USPS Certified.

Start my letter — $29

Common questions

Can a landlord keep my whole deposit without explaining why?

In most states, no — an itemized written statement is required within the statutory deadline, and failing to provide it can cost the landlord the right to keep any of it. Silence is one of the strongest facts a tenant can have.

Can they deduct for something that was broken when I moved in?

Not legitimately. This is the single best reason to photograph everything at move-in and email the landlord a dated condition list. Without documentation it becomes your word against theirs; with it, the charge usually disappears.

Is there a limit on how much they can deduct?

The deduction is limited to the landlord's actual, provable loss — and cannot exceed the deposit itself. Where a landlord claims damages beyond the deposit, they must generally sue you for the excess and prove it, rather than simply asserting it.

What if I disagree with the deductions?

Write to them. A dated demand letter that cites your state's statute, disputes specific items, and states the amount you want returned puts a landlord on notice that you know the rules — and creates the paper record a court will want to see if it goes further.

General legal information, not legal advice. The wear-and-tear standard is applied fact by fact and varies by state and court; nothing here predicts an outcome in your situation. For advice about your specific facts, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

Not sure which of your charges are legitimate?

Enter the deductions from your itemized statement and see which ones are normal wear and tear — and what the disputable total comes to.

Check my deductions →

Keep reading

Normal wear and tear vs. damage Can a landlord charge you for cleaning?Can a landlord charge you for carpet replacement?Can a landlord charge you for painting?

Disputing a deduction? Put it in writing.

We prepare a demand letter that cites your state's statute, disputes the specific charges you name, and mails it USPS Certified — you read every word before paying.

Start my letter — $29