What can I lawfully keep from the deposit if I was not at the check-out?

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• Martin (Soycasero)Equipo SoycaseroSep 20, 2026

  Only what can be substantiated may be kept back: unpaid rent, unpaid supplies, and damage beyond ordinary wear. The ordinary marks that living in a home leaves behind are not damage.

  The burden of proof sits with whoever claims the deduction, meaning the landlord. That is why the inventory at move-in carries so much weight: with dated photographs the condition is documented, without it the discussion is one person's word against another's. If you cannot attend yourself, have the same person document both move-in and check-out, and ask for photographs with a visible date.

  Whether a particular deduction holds up is a judgement, not a calculation. Your asesor makes it, not a piece of software.

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