I have a set of tenants that are moving out at the end of this month. I plan on doing a walk through with them with a check list. I had to do some work inside of home yesterday and I noticed a big break in one of the doors. There is another door damaged that I already knew about because they had told me about an accident they had. I am still learning the whole rental thing. My plan is to make note of the doors and anything else I find and have them sign the check list. I plan on deducting for damages but do I give them there deposit back minus damages at that time or is there a different way I should do this. I know there not going to be happy But I did not break the doors. Thank you all for all your help.

Get yer hard hat on. You will likely get a good bit of info on this.

do not do a walk thru with them unless it is a requirement in your state. Find, learn and apply your state/local regs on security deposit return and follow it closely.

Take as much time to return the #, if any as allowed Maybe a day or two early.

Good luck. It always looks a lot different in the cold light of day....and a few days into the turn over. You can be surprised at what you found. That lesson was slammed int om e on our last turnover.

I don't do walk throughs because all I am going to hear is a tenant telling me how they did not break this or that and if I disagree there will be tensions that I don't need. Tell the tenant if he or she is concerned then take pictures as they leave.

You probably have about two weeks to a month to check your property before you have to return the security via certified Mail,, return receipt required. If you deduct for damage you may have to include receipts for the work to fix the damage.

I never know what I will find when I get right down to cleaning and rehabbing and painting. One time I found that the tenant, a lawyer, had repaired deep gouges in woodwork with plaster. I got the woodwork replaced and sent the bill along with what remained of the security deposit.

Flush toilets, try the windows, smell the carpet, turn on the shower and more before you return any security deposit.

There are things you find only when you are cleaning and repainting.

And if there were pets you need to close everything up and turn on the heat to see if a smell emerges.

No walk-through. I send my departing tenants a cleaning checklist to follow (tenants don't know how to clean!)

I do walk thru(s) - alone, without the departing tenant and after I get the keys. Then I wait two weeks to see if new deficiencies pop up (most likely drain issues).

I prepare a closing statement listing where the S.D went, all the repairs that were needed to bring the house to a similar condition as on day 1. This statement and refund check go out no later than 21 days (check your state rule) after AN ACTUAL MOVE OUT.

I attach repair receipts or estimates (they are accepted because sometimes it takes longer to get everything done than 3 weeks).

Agree with the others above - I send a letter to them indicating what they should be doing to ensure they get their security deposit back. I include a self addressed stamped envelope and the letter also asks for their "new" address and has a place for them to sign.

Some sign and return others don't and I really could care less.

One very important thing ALWAYS do (whether you do the walk-through with them or not) is to NOT give them a check right then and there. Don't even bring the checkbook with you.

I use to offer a "pre-walk through" for them. I did that with one couple a few years ago and as I was pointing some things out the guy ended up getting a bit upset so I just ended the "tour" with them and called it a day. They still didn't do what I suggested in order to get their full deposit back (mainly cleaning).

Many times you will end up noticing things AFTER and once it is cleaned. Take a list for each room and check everything (windows, doors, floor, walls, ceiling, trim, etc). Make sure you take pictures (and many of them). If you see something broken, dirty or missing take a pic of it. Then, once you fix, clean or whatever - take another pic of it.

This is exactly what I send to them in the letter with any check for the return of the SD. Before and after pics. I don't necessarily do every pic obviously but the "more serious ones" that take the money. If they end up "fighting" it then that's when I would be prepared to show them EVERYTHING (the before and after pics).

No walk-through. Give them a cleaning checklist (that they most likely will not follow). Ask them to leave keys in the kitchen drawer.

No one mentioned to take lots of photos. Take many.

I always tell a little white lie when asked about returning the deposit. I tell the tenants we have to check with the electric utility to make sure they are current on their bill before we can issue a SD refund. They always accept this.

That being said, I try to return the SD as soon as possible with the accounting. I always try to return at least a bit of the SD.

Do what WMH suggested -- send them clean up instructions. I actually provide this at move-in and again when we get notice that they are leaving. Do NOT charge for small nail holes. I have had tenants do the worst job filling nail holes that ended up being much more work for me to correct their repairs.

You've gotten some good advice from the above posters.

You are getting quite a bit of good info so far.

Don't forget to check the "hidden areas:" attic, crawl space, etc. There may be voluminous garbage or other surprises awaiting you there.

Security Deposits are held in special accounts and I do NOT have check-writing ability on those accounts (at least, I do not have checks LOL! Why buy checks for an SD account?)

To Tenant: "We do not co-mingle your SD with our funds, so I do not have any way to write you a check. The BANK sends the check directly to your forwarding address." So now they HAVE to give it to you to have any chance of getting anything back.

Can't charge for locks as you should change between each tenant anyway.

You didn't do any labor, you hired it out. Right?

Walk-through at move-IN is different, I'll do that but I still give new tenants 7 days to report anything we might have missed. But we don't miss much these days!

"Can I charge labor for repairs I make myself and if so what should I charge?"