Follow These Tips To Ensure You Get Your Security Deposit Back

Has the time finally come to leave your current apartment behind and move into a new home? The money you put down as a security deposit is soon to be yours again! That is -- if you follow these tips to make sure the apartment is left in great condition.

Don't bump into the walls when moving furniture.

When the time comes to pack up and move your furniture, be careful not to bump any of it into the wall. This is a common way to ding and scrape walls, and leaving scrapes and dings behind may cause your landlord to keep part of the security deposit. 

To avoid hitting furniture on walls and corners, take larger pieces apart before putting them in the moving truck. The smaller parts will be easier to carry through your home. If you are maneuvering a strangely shaped piece of furniture through a doorway, consider duct taping some towels to the corners of the doorway so that if you bump them, they'll be protected.

Work with a good moving company.

You can minimize damage that's done to the apartment during moving by hiring a responsible, experienced moving team from a company like D & R Movers. Professionals who spend all day, every day packing and moving items will be less likely to damage door frames or drop messy items. 

Clean up after moving everything out.

You might think you have the apartment clean, but once you or your movers are done packing, you might be amazed how much dust and dirt reveals itself in corners that used to be covered by furniture.

Try to plan your day so that you can be at the apartment after your movers finish packing. Spend an hour or two doing last-minute cleaning like vacuuming the carpets, wiping out cupboards, and cleaning the toilet. The cleaner your apartment is, the more likely you are to get your full security deposit back. 

Fill in holes in the wall.

If you mounted any pictures of shelves to the wall, make sure you remove the nails or screws that you used to hang them. Then, fill in the holes. This will make it easier on your landlord -- he or she will just have to paint the walls. Even if your contract does not specify that you need to fill in holes before you leave, doing so is a nice gesture that might make your landlord more willing to overlook other small damages and dings the apartment has suffered.

To fill in a small hole in the wall, use a putty knife to push joint compound into the hole. Let the joint compound dry -- this will take about a day. Then, sand the area down until it's smooth.

Be upfront about any damage you did cause.

Your landlord can hold back part of the security deposit for many reasons, from a dirty oven to a hole in the wall. However, they can also choose to give you back your full security deposit even though there is some damage. Being upfront and honest about any damage you've caused may make them less likely to withhold your deposit. You're making a goodwill gesture by telling your landlord about the damage and apologizing; they might make a goodwill gesture by letting you keep the money they could have withheld. 

When you officially move out, be sure to ask your landlord how long you can expect to wait for your security deposit to be returned to you. Typically, it will be sent to you in the form of a check within a few weeks. Your landlord may even let you know immediately upon move-out whether or not you'll be getting the full amount back.