You can fight (and avoid) your landlord’s cleaning fees.

If you’re renting, you know that the deposit is a big deal – the moment you decide to move out is your top priority get the money back. Although this is usually a pretty straightforward process: you clear out your belongings, deep clean the apartment, and get your money back.

Unfortunately, things don’t always go so smoothly. There are plenty bad landlords When you move out, you might get a nasty surprise in the form of surprise cleaning fees: You’ve all moved out and the apartment seems to be in good condition, but your landlord deducts several hundred dollars from your deposit to clean anyway.

Landlords have the option to deduct reasonable costs from your deposit – that’s why it exists. But that doesn’t mean they can just make up reasons to charge you. Here’s what to do if that happens – and what you can do should Do this when you move into your next rental property to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.

Be aware that you are not responsible for wear and tear

As a tenant, you are generally not responsible for the so-called normal “wear and tear” of the living space. This is normal damage that occurs simply through the occupancy of a room, e.g. E.g. peeling paint, cracks caused by deposits or carpets becoming thinner due to use. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has one formal list of wear and tear items and specifically states that “the costs incurred by an owner for the basic cleaning and repair of such items necessary to make a unit ready for the next tenant are part of the cost of doing business.” This is in contrast to what is considered “tenant damage,” which includes things like holes in the walls, frayed floors, or missing furnishings.

That means always reading Your rental agreement Familiarize yourself with the details of your security deposit, any fees the landlord may charge for cleaning, and understand the definition of “wear and tear.” Generally, your landlord You can’t just deduct the routine cleaning fee deducted from your deposit, but the language you agreed to in your rental agreement may complicate matters. If you are aware of potentially problematic language in the rental agreement before you move out, you can avoid problems.

Document and clean

Once you know the difference between wear and tear and tenant damage, your next step is to document the condition of your home. Best-case scenario, start this process before you actually move in by creating a detailed video of the home that shows the condition of every aspect of the space. For example, if the walls are worn out, it is crucial to provide evidence that they were that way before you moved in.

Once you have documented the condition of the property, the best way to ensure that there are no surprise cleaning fees is incurred clean. Regular cleaning prevents dirt from building up and becoming a monumental task, making it much easier to get the room into presentable condition when you move out.

When you hire Cleaning professionals or in any way need to do more to clean the apartment, continue to document your efforts – keep receipts and copies of correspondence with your landlord related to cleaning issues. If you notice any “worn” items or pre-existing cleanliness issues that you shouldn’t be responsible for, be sure to let your landlord know and keep a record of this notice.

Finally, when you move out, document the cleaning and the final condition of the apartment when you leave in another video.

If you are charged a cleaning fee

If, despite your best efforts, you are still charged a surprise cleaning fee when you move out that you feel is unfair, here are some steps you can take:

• Collect evidence. Make sure you have access to your evidence of the original and final condition of the room and collect all receipts and notices related to the cleaning.

• Request details. Ask your landlord for a breakdown of costs and ask for copies of receipts if they claim to have hired cleaners.

• Write a dispute letter. Send your landlord a letter by certified mail detailing the prohibited fees. Include details such as the amount of your total deposit, the amount deducted for cleaning, the reason why the amount is unjustified, and a deadline for receiving the money. It helps if you do your own research State laws Find out about the refund of the deposit and also provide these details. You can see a sample letter Here.

• Contact a tenant rights organization. There is likely a local tenants’ rights organization in your area that can provide advice and resources to help you navigate the situation. If you can’t find one, Renters are rising can help identify a local group.

• Small Claims Court or Mediation. If all else fails, you can contact your landlord Small Claims Court unless your deposit is astronomically high (more than $10,000). You can also hire a professional mediator to help you reach an agreement on the dispute (the American Arbitration Association (can help you find one near you) if your landlord agrees.