6 Reasons Your Landlord Will Not Return Your Security Deposit And Might Evict You

We want to make our home feel cozier by adding our own touches but there are some upgrades landlords are not OK with. Some upgrades are so bad that they might get you evicted. Here are the 6 easiest ways to say goodbye to your security deposit.

1 – Painting Your Walls

Painting your walls is the fastest way to say goodbye to your security deposit. Your creative color choices can be a headache to cover especially when it’s been painted for years.

Painting your walls can be a serious problem when it comes to covering it. There have been cases when tenants have painted over history New York-style brick walls and it caused the apartment value to drop drastically.

“When tenants paint walls and we have to scrape it off and paint over it. It adds another unwanted task to the long list of things we have to do when we need to renovate a unit to get it rented. I guess it’s much better than your landlord is your next-door neighbor.” says, Tom Henry, an apartment manager in Los Angeles, CA.

2 – Putting Up Pictures

This might not seem like a big deal to some but putting up pictures leave drywall holes. Landlords have to spend more money covering drywall holes when a tenant moves out. The best way to avoid this is to use Command Strips instead of nails.

Drywall holes also invite bugs like cockroaches, termites, and mud tubes. If the drywall can’t support the picture frame it might fall and break the drywall creating a hole. If the hole is 2 inches or bigger rodents are able to enter the home.

“Covering holes is one of those tasks that take longer but are not able to see the progress. Making the plaster to cover the holes takes time,” says, Rodney West, an apartment renovator in West Covina, CA.

3 – Hanging Curtains

Hanging curtains and putting up pictures are almost the same thing. The anchor holes needed to support curtains rods can be large therefore creating a large hole in the drywall.

4 – Mounting a Television

Mountain a television is probably the worst thing alongside painting a wall. Mounts for large televisions use big bolts that have to be drilled into the studs of the wall. This not only creates a big hole in the drywall it also makes a hole in the wooden stud inside the wall.

The easier and cheaper way is to use a stand to avoid drilling into studs or dropping your flat-screen television.

“Please don’t hang your flat screen television on the wall of the apartment you’re renting, the drilling will create big holes and most of the time renters are not able to drill directly into the stud on the first try so there will be multiple holes. If you have questions it’s best to ask your landlord.” says, Gregory Kens, an apartment landlord in Long Beach, CA

5 – Planting a Garden

Planting a garden in the front or backyard of the apartment complex adds a lot more upkeep for the landlord. Instead, have a plant or two next to your front door or your window, and make sure not to cover any walkways in case of a fire or emergency.

6 – Updating Your Appliances

If you must, keep the old unit and replace it when you move out.

“Taking your old appliances in and out of your apartment creates annoyance among other tenants and most of the times old appliances are left in front of the apartment building for weeks if not months,” says, Quincy Patts, an apartment renter in Orange County, CA

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