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How to Get Your Security Deposit Back After Decorating

Get your security deposit back by recording the apartment's condition at move-in, undoing every decor change before you leave, and answering any deduction in writing. Deadlines and allowed deductions come from your lease and your state's law, which differ from state to state. This page covers the steps that work anywhere and shows where to find the rules that apply to you.

3D styler render of a bedroom with pink walls, an upholstered channel headboard, two wall sconces, a framed print, a patterned rug and a large potted plant
Rendered in our 3D styler. In a rental, the sconces, the print and the pink paint are the changes that need an exit plan.

What can a landlord deduct from a security deposit?

A landlord deducts for damage beyond normal wear and tear and for cleaning, within the limits your state's law and your lease set. California's guide, for example, allows deductions for repairing damage other than normal wear and tear, and for cleaning to return the unit to its move-in condition (California Civil Code section 1950.5). Other states word it differently, so check yours.

Wear is what time does to an apartment; damage is what a change or an accident leaves behind. Decor sits on the damage side of that line whenever it stays up or leaves a mark, so the safest position is a wall that looks the way you found it.

Decor changeWhat the landlord sees if you leave itWhat to leave instead
Adhesive strips and hooksResidue or lifted paintA clean wall, strips removed with the pack's method
Painted accent wallA color you choseThe original color, or a written agreement that says otherwise
Swapped blinds, knobs or shower headMissing original partsThe originals refitted
Drilled shelves or anchorsNew holesHoles filled only if the lease allows tenant repairs
Peel-and-stick wallpaperPanels or adhesive left on the wallBare wall, removed per the brand's directions

How to document the apartment at move-in

Photograph and film every room on move-in day, then send the landlord a dated written list of every existing mark. That record is what separates the marks you inherited from the ones you made.

  1. Walk each room with your phone recording video, slowly, wall by wall.
  2. Take close-up photos of every existing hole, scuff, stain and chip, with something in frame for scale.
  3. Photograph the walls you plan to decorate, so you have a before shot of each one.
  4. Fill in any move-in checklist the landlord gives you, and keep a copy.
  5. Email the photos and your list to the landlord, which puts a date on the record.

Decorate with the move-out in mind

Before you make any change, know how it comes off and where its original parts go. Planning the exit at the start costs minutes; working it out at move-out costs a weekend or a deduction.

  • Get permission in writing

    Ask first

    Ask by email for paint, shelves or new fixtures, and save the reply with your lease.

  • Keep the instructions

    Comes off with care

    Keep the pack or a photo of it for every adhesive product. The removal method is printed there.

  • Test in a hidden spot

    Comes off with care

    Try a strip, decal or wallpaper sample inside a closet first and remove it after a few days.

  • Choose no-trace first

    No trace

    Leaning art, rugs, lamps and freestanding shelves never touch the deposit.

Our renter-friendly wall decor guide gives the maker's own steps for hanging and removing adhesive strips.

How to undo decor changes before you move out

Undo decor changes in the reverse order you made them, one wall and one fixture at a time, at least a week before the final inspection. The spare week covers a strip that snaps or a patch that needs a second coat.

  1. Take down everything on the walls. Stretch adhesive strips slowly down along the wall, never toward you. 3M's instructions say to keep stretching for at least 15 inches.
  2. Peel removable wallpaper and decals by the method the brand prints.
  3. Refit every original part: blinds, knobs, bulbs, the shower head and the toilet seat.
  4. Repaint any wall you changed, unless your written agreement says the landlord keeps the color.
  5. Fill nail and screw holes only if your lease allows tenant repairs.
  6. Clean the apartment to the condition you photographed at move-in.

The full list of changes worth making in the first place is on our renter-friendly decor ideas hub.

How to prepare for the move-out inspection

Ask for a walk-through before you hand back the keys, and photograph every room from the same angles as your move-in photos. A walk-through gives you the chance to fix a problem while you still have access.

  • Request a pre-move-out inspection. California, for example, requires landlords to tell tenants in writing that they can request one after giving notice.
  • Photograph and film every room once it is clean and empty, matching your move-in shots.
  • Give the landlord your forwarding address in writing, so the deposit and any statement reach you.
  • Return the keys the way your lease says, and keep a record of when.

What to do if a deduction appears

Read the itemized reasons, compare each one with your photos, and send a written request for the amount you dispute. Keep a copy of everything you send.

  1. Read the statement line by line. Note each charge and the reason given.
  2. Match each charge to your move-in and move-out photos.
  3. Write to the landlord asking for the disputed amount back, with the photos attached. This letter is often called a demand letter.
  4. Allow the time your letter names for a reply.
  5. If the dispute stays open, look up your state's next step, such as mediation or small claims court.

State rules set the deadlines. In California, a landlord has 21 days after move-out to return the deposit or send an itemized statement of deductions, and must attach receipts for deductions over $125 (California Courts self-help guide). Your state sets its own rules: find them on your state court's self-help site, your attorney general's site or in the statute itself. This page is general information, not legal advice.

Questions people ask

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit?

The deadline depends on your state and your lease. In California it is 21 days after move-out, per the California Courts self-help guide, and other states set their own deadlines.

Is a nail hole normal wear and tear?

Whether a nail hole counts as wear depends on your lease and your state's rules. Read the lease clause on alterations, and fill holes at move-out only when the lease allows tenant repairs.

Do I have to repaint before moving out?

You repaint before moving out when you changed the color without a written agreement that says otherwise. Get any paint permission in writing, including who repaints and in which color.

Can a landlord charge for marks left by adhesive hooks?

Residue or lifted paint from an adhesive hook is a mark you made, not wear from age. Remove hooks with the stretch method on the pack and check the wall in daylight before you hand back the keys.

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