I paid a $400 deposit and $300 refundable pet deposit. I cleaned thoroughly upon moving out, but I am being charged $931 .

Question

I paid a $400 deposit and $300 refundable pet deposit. I cleaned thoroughly upon moving out, but I am being charged $931 .

Anonymous Jun 21, 2015 5 views 2 answers

There was no additional damage caused by me or my cat who always used the litter box which was located in a closet on top of my own rug as well as a towel. They are now deducting my entire deposits and charging me an additional $221. $80 for carpet cleaning, $465 for replacing carpet due to animal odor, $95 for repainting, $85 for damage to counter tops, and more for cleaning. No receipts. However, there honestly were no odors of any kind. A previous apartment with all new carpets had returned 100% of my deposit with the same cat. Here, the carpet was very old and dingy when I moved in. The walls were stained when I moved in and they had marked it down during the move-in walk-thru, and I know I did not make "knife-marks" on the counter top. The apartment is very old. Can they do this?

Angela Lallemont · Accepted Answer · 2026-06-15T15:06:25+00:00

You need to talk to an attorney about your situation and bring any evidence you have with you to the appointment (pictures of the apartment when you moved in and out, a copy of your lease agreement, etc.) An attorney can assist you in assessing your best course of action.

Shawn Reed · Accepted Answer · 2026-06-15T15:06:25+00:00

I agree with Attorney Lallemont. You should consult with counsel and contemplate an action to recover the withheld funds. In such an action, the burden will be on the landlord to justify the withholding of the deposit. If successful, you may also be able to recover some of your attorneys fees.

I paid a $400 deposit and $300 refundable pet deposit. I cleaned thoroughly upon moving out, but I am being charged $931 .

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