How to Get Back a Rental Deposit

Video Transcript

"Hello, my name is Penny Smith, and I'm a North Carolina real estate broker. Our topic for today is: How do I get my deposit back from my rent? By providing the property in the same or better condition than when you rented it. When you sign a lease on a piece of property that you intend to rent, it says in that lease that you are going to maintain that property in a condition in which you received it. Now, that doesn't mean you have to fix the appliances, but...and it does not mean that you can't have normal wear and tear, but if the floors are soiled badly, you have to clean them back to the condition in which you rented it. Hopefully, you took pictures when you...before you moved in, and provided those pictures with an accurate description of the property, a checklist that you checked off. Any defects that you found in that property, you took a picture of it and sent it to the landlord prior to moving in to the house. If you did not do that, I highly recommend a final walk-through with the landlord and enough time that you could fix the things that he requires in order to receive your deposit back from the landlord. Discuss with him what is required and what he needs done in order to receive that deposit. Understand, also, that the law requires that he give you receipts for any money that he has to use that you...that is your deposit money for fixing things that is beyond wear...normal wear and tear, and he must do that within 45 days of you vacating the property. So when you are looking to vacate the property, maintain contact with that landlord so that you can receive your deposit back, whether it be in full or part. And that's how you have to go about getting the rent for your...getting the deposit back for your rent. Thank you, and I hope you have a good day."