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If the building was condemned and it was not your fault, the deposit must be returned within 5 days.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"How is the interest on a security deposit calculated?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Interest is 1% per year. The fact sheet demonstrates calculating monthly interest by dividing the annual interest by 12 months and multiplying by the number of months the tenant lived there.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"When can a landlord keep all or part of a security deposit?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"A landlord may keep money for unpaid rent or other agreed fees, such as replacing lost keys. Illegal charges are not allowed, and cleaning fees are limited to damage or problems beyond ordinary wear and tear.",{"name":74,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":75},"What should a tenant do if the landlord refuses to return the deposit?",{"text":76,"@type":64},"Write a demand letter requesting the deposit be returned, including the mailing address, and keep a copy. If 21 days pass without an explanation, the tenant can sue in Conciliation Court; if the landlord replies but the reasons are disputed, the tenant can also sue if no agreement is reached.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":79,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":81,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":83,"site_id":7},279240,1791607136,{"code":4,"msg":86,"data":87},"success",[88,93,98,103,108,113,117,122,127],{"id":89,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":90,"show_sort_weight":91,"slug":92},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":94,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":95,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":97},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":99,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":104,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":109,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":114,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":115,"slug":116},17,40,"forms",{"id":118,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":119,"show_sort_weight":120,"slug":121},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":123,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":125,"slug":126},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":128,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":130},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":86,"data":132},{"doc_id":83,"user_id":133,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":22,"category_id":114,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":125,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":26},1236954412713,"https://us-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0","Fact Sheet  \n-  \nSecurity Deposits  \nHow soon do I get my deposit back?  \nThe landlord has to send you the full deposit with interest or a written statement telling you why they are keeping your deposit, or part of your deposit. Make sure the landlord has the address you want the deposit sent to. The landlord has to send the money or the statement to you within 21 days of your move-out date, if they have an address for you. If the building was condemned, and it was not your fault, the landlord has to return the deposit within 5 days.  \nHow much interest do I get?  \n1% per year. Let’s say you moved in August 1, 2018. You moved out on April 30, 2019. Your deposit was $900.00. This means you have to figure out 1% interest for 9 months. First, figure out the interest for a year, and then divide it to get the interest for each month.  \n$900.00  \n x .01  (1% = .01)  \n$ 9.00 Is the interest for 1 year at 1%  \nTo get the interest for each month you have to divide the interest for a year by the 12 months ina year:  \n$ 9.00 ÷ 12 (months) = $ .75 (75 cents) This is the interest for each month of a year at 1% . August 2018 through April 2019 is 9 months, so multiply the monthly interest by 9:  \n$ .75 Interest per month  \n x 9  Number of months there  \n$6.75 Is the total you should get back with your deposit  \nSo, $900 deposit, plus the interest ($6 .75) means you should get $906.75 back from your landlord.  \nWhen can a landlord keep the deposit?  \nA landlord can keep your deposit money for unpaid rent or other fees that you agreed to. For example, replacing lost keys.  \nBut some fees that landlords put in leases are illegal. Like automatic fees for repainting the apartment. And a landlord can’t charge you a cleaning fee unless the cleaning was for problems or damage that you caused and are more than “ordinary wear and tear.”  \nA landlord can keep your deposit money for rent, if you moved out without giving proper written notice. If you move out without giving proper notice the landlord can take the rent you didn’t pay from the deposit, even for time after you moved. See our fact sheet Notices to Vacate and Ending a Lease.  \nYour landlord can only keep the amount that these things cost, not all of the deposit if there is some left over. For example, if you move early but the landlord collects rent from a new tenant for the next month, the landlord can’t take rent for the same month out of your deposit.  \nWhat is “ordinary wear and tear”?  \nIf something breaks or is damaged because it is old that is probably ordinary wear and tear. For example, if the carpet was new 10 years ago when you moved in and now it needs to be replaced, that is probably ordinary wear and tear. If the carpet was new when you moved in 6 months ago and now it needs to be replaced, that is probably NOT ordinary wear and tear.  \nIf you think your landlord is charging you unfairly, write a letter explaining why and ask for that part of the money back. See section below “What if the landlord won’t return the deposit?”  \nCan I use my deposit to pay my last month’s rent?  \nNo. It is against the law to use your deposit to pay your last month's rent. You risk having an eviction filed against you if you don't pay rent.  \nBut there is an exception to this rule if your landlord is losing the building in foreclosure. You can use your deposit as your rent for the last month of the redemption period. That's the last month before the new owner (usually the bank) owns the property. If you are not sure when the redemption period ends call your county sheriff.  \nSee our fact sheet  When Your Landlord Loses the Building for more information.  \nWhat if the landlord won’t return the deposit?  \n• If the landlord has not explained in writing why you are not getting your deposit back, start by writing the landlord a letter asking for it back. Make sure you put down the address where the deposit should be sent to. Sign and date the letter. Keep a copy.  \nIf 21 days pass and your landlord stil","cbCaisDxBnY5YDHp","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaisDxBnY5YDHp","pdf",394699,"English","# Security Deposits\n## Deposit Return Timeline\n## Interest Calculation (1% per year)\n## When a Landlord Can Keep the Deposit\n## Ordinary Wear and Tear\n## Restrictions on Using Deposit for Last Month’s Rent\n## If the Landlord Won’t Return the Deposit\n## Where to Sue (Conciliation Court)\n## What Damages to Request","[{\"question\":\"How soon must a landlord return a security deposit after move-out?\",\"answer\":\"The landlord must send the full deposit with interest or a written statement within 21 days of your move-out date if they have your address. If the building was condemned and it was not your fault, the deposit must be returned within 5 days.\"},{\"question\":\"How is the interest on a security deposit calculated?\",\"answer\":\"Interest is 1% per year. The fact sheet demonstrates calculating monthly interest by dividing the annual interest by 12 months and multiplying by the number of months the tenant lived there.\"},{\"question\":\"When can a landlord keep all or part of a security deposit?\",\"answer\":\"A landlord may keep money for unpaid rent or other agreed fees, such as replacing lost keys. Illegal charges are not allowed, and cleaning fees are limited to damage or problems beyond ordinary wear and tear.\"},{\"question\":\"What should a tenant do if the landlord refuses to return the deposit?\",\"answer\":\"Write a demand letter requesting the deposit be returned, including the mailing address, and keep a copy. If 21 days pass without an explanation, the tenant can sue in Conciliation Court; if the landlord replies but the reasons are disputed, the tenant can also sue if no agreement is reached.\"}]","Security Deposits - Fact Sheet - How Deposits Are Returned, Interest, and Disputes | PDF",1789517351]