Getting Your Security Deposit Back
The steps to assure that your security deposit is managed correctly are clearly defined. Legally, you must notify your landlord in writing within 4 days after the termination of your occupancy of a forwarding address where you may be reached or where you will receive mail. If you don't do this, your landlord is not obligated to give you an itemized list of damages claimed against your security deposit. The following are guidelines and instructions from the City of Ann Arbor (tenant booklet: "Rights and Duties of Tenants") that we have adapted with additional information regarding your security deposit:

Money may be deducted from your security deposit for the following reasons only:
(1) Actual damages to the unit which were the direct result of conduct not reasonably expected in the normal course of living there. Deductions cannot be made for normal wear and tear of the apartment (e.g., holes in the walls from small picture nails). Refer to your Inventory Checklist that you completed at move-in to determine which damages were pre-existing and which occurred during your lease period. If you signed a "joint and several" lease with your roommates, you need to decide among yourselves who is responsible for each damaged item and how he/she will reimburse the other roommates if the damage results in a security deposit deduction.
(2) Unpaid rent (including late payment or returned check fees).
(3) Unpaid utility bills.

Within 30 days after the termination of your occupancy, the landlord must mail you (sent to the address you provided upon your departure) a list of damages, the cost of repairs, the reasons why he/she has deducted money from your security deposit, and a check for the remainder of your security deposit.

If you have given your landlord the forwarding address required and your landlord does not send this information within 30 days after the termination of your occupancy, he/she must send you the entire deposit.

If you do not agree with the damages your landlord has claimed, you must notify him/her by mail within 7 days. If you don't write your landlord specifying your objections within 7 days, you forfeit the amount that he/she has claimed.

If you have properly notified your landlord of your forwarding address and properly objected to the damages claimed, the landlord must either:
(1) Return to you the balance of the security deposit.
(2) Start a lawsuit against you within 45 days after the termination of your occupancy. (This is not required in most cases when the landlord is only claiming money for unpaid rent.)
(3) Agree with you in writing about the amount of the security deposit that the landlord will retain and the amount he/she will return to you. (Call an the Off-Campus Housing Advisor at the Housing Information Office for Assistance with reaching an agreement with your landlord (763-4105))

If you do not properly notify your landlord of your forwarding address or you do not object to the damages claimed within the legal time limits, you might not have waived your rights to some or all of your security deposit. (See the "tenant advocate" (green) section of your Rights and Duties of Tenants booklet and consult with Student Legal Services.)

The landlord is not required to comply with the foregoing procedures in the case of a non-refundable cleaning fee because a non-refundable cleaning or "preparation fee" is not considered a part of your security deposit.

Successful Spring/Summer Subtenants
For many students staying in Ann Arbor to take Spring/Summer classes, May is the month you move into your sublet apartment. Here is our advice for having a successful subletting experience:

Maintain a copy of your Sublease Agreement, signed by you, the tenant and the landlord.

Maintain a copy of the lease, including attachments, currently in effect between the landlord and the tenant from whom you are renting. This will tell you about any rules and regulations related to the property that you are also expected to follow.

Complete an Inventory Checklist so that the condition of your room/apartment upon your move-in is fully documented. Provide a copy to the tenant and to the landlord. (Inventory Checklists should be provided to you when the lease begins. You should return it to the landlord within 7 days after receiving possession of the premises. Inventory Checklists can be found on the Roommate Finder & Sublet Services section of this Web site.

If you have roommates, make a written agreement regarding the allocation of responsibilities, including utility bills, upkeep, and shared parking. The Housing Information Office provides Roommate Agreement forms for this purpose, available on the General Information page.

Address problems with roommates before they have a chance to escalate.

Maintain current contact information for the tenant you are subleasing from and also for the landlord in case of an emergency or if any questions or concerns arise about your rental.

If you experience a conflict regarding your sublet and would like assistance, contact the Off-Campus Housing Office and speak with the Off-Campus Housing advisor at (734)763-4105.

Don't Abandon Your Bike
Your bike needs periodic care and attention. While it can go for weeks without being ridden and still be in fine shape, it's important not to forget about it. You should make sure that you keep the air pressure in its tires up to the recommended inflation level, as well as check that all the screws, bolts and nuts are tightened. By keeping your bike well-maintained, it will last longer and run smoothly.

Hundreds of bicycles are abandoned on campus at the end of the academic year; they are collected by DPS and, if unclaimed after one month, will be sold or given away. Mandatory registration of bicycles with the Ann Arbor City Clerk's office can help reunite bikes with their owners.