If you’ve been living in a rental and want your security deposit back, you need to make sure that the place looks as close as possible to the way it was when you first moved in. Most places will allow for some wear and tear, which is natural and expected, but if your dog chew on the coffee table or you broke a lamp, these things will be discounted from your security deposit.

Chances are you’ll pay more if you leave things broken than if you replace them yourself. This is because your landlord is likely to get the best, most expensive replacement he can get. So if you can replace that broken lamp for a similar one without spending a fortune, do it.

Repair chipped paint and holes in the wall yourself. You’ll likely spend just a few dollars at Home Depot if you’re willing to do the work. If you leave it to your landlord, however, he’ll charge you for supplies and the time spent doing the repair –unless he pays somebody to do it and then it’ll end up costing three times more.

Clean the carpet if there’s one. If you can’t seem to get rid of stains and smells on your own, hire a rug shampooer. Although it looks like a vacuum, the machine uses steam and industrial-strength soap to clean difficult stains.

Throw away your garbage. Don’t leave bags or old things around or you might be charged a cleaning fee. Simply put stuff you dont want in some moving boxes and throw them out. It takes just a few minutes to walk your trash outside.

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