Student Legal Services

Last Updated: May 30, 2019 11:18:02 AM PDT

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Living off campus? Protect your security deposit!

By law, your residence must be in the same condition when you move out as when you moved in. If it isn’t — or if you can't prove that it is — your landlord could keep your security deposit, perhaps costing you thousands of dollars.

To get your deposit back, you need to document the condition of your residence, including taking plenty of detailed photos and filling out an inspection checklist (PDF) both when you move in and move out.

Take steps to prove the condition of your residence before you move in, so that you don’t get nailed! For more on your rights and responsibilities as a tenant, check out the handy California Tenants Guide (121-page PDF), produced by the California Department of Consumer Affairs.

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