I almost didn't pay my rent for the last month because I had a feeling they would hang on to my security deposit, and I already had the new apartment, and I only had ONE MONTH notice to move.

Oh yeah! That's what I did in my last apartment, just because I didn't have the cash. I was a little worried, but got a call later from my landlord, who said I had always been a good tenant. Phew!

Sophia, send a certified letter to the landlord that says:

Dear Landlord,

I have been informed that you will not return my security deposit because it was used to pay for the cleaning of the carpet. To my knowledge, there was no damage to the carpet beyond ordinary wear and tear, which should not be subject to a security deposit. Please provide me with a copy of the cleaner's bill that lists any extraordinary cleaning costs, or a letter from the cleaning company to that effect, or a statement from you delinating any other damage to the apartment. Otherwise, please return my security deposit with interest to the following address.

Oh-- THank you Vortex. A LETTER sounds good and non confrontational, yet firm.

I like it!

I'm really hungry, but I'm afraid if I go get lunch, the movers will take my cube while I'm gone.

Whereas I'm hoping that if I go for a smoke break, someone will come steal my desk, the computer, the telephone, and the paperwork strewn across all of it...

I think I'm kind of a running joke with the movers now. I'm the only person on this side of the building who wasn't moved over the weekend, so my cube stands like the sole survivor of some office furniture holocaust.

Nothing got taken away from me while I was at Taco Cabana, though, so that's good.

Sophia, I had a landlady keep my deposit because of what she described as "cleaning." I sent her a letter like Vortex suggests, saying that landlords can't charge for cleaning normal wear and tear, and she responded by sending a copy of the bill from the cleaning company.

I responded with the words "small claims court; double damages." She responded with "I am STUNNED! In all my years as a landlord, NO ONE has ever threatened to sue me," blah blah blah.

I responded with "In all my years of renting, I've never had a landlord keep a security deposit. You'll be hearing from my lawyer."

As I have a friend who is an attorney, she wrote a quick letter citing Ohio law about landlords and security deposits, etc., including the small-claims court double damages part.

Landlady sent back my deposit, with a nasty letter. I believe she called me malicious, petty, and a bad tenant, and it was worth it to give me the money so that I would leave her alone.

Evil bitch. (But I got my money!)

I'm the only person on this side of the building who wasn't moved over the weekend, so my cube stands like the sole survivor of some office furniture holocaust.

That sounds so creepy! But at least you aren't surrounded by jackholes... right?

I've always used my security deposit as my last month's rent. (I know the standard boilerplate lease explicitly prohibits that, but I've only ever had one landlord I trusted not to screw me over.)

Right. The people that are usually around are loud and sometimes vexing, but not jackholes.

For the first time ever, my sec. deposit on my apartment wasn't a month's rent or more - $99 bucks. It's so nice not to be feeling like they've got you over a barrel come moving time. Not that I am, any time soon.

*eta, except in Quebec, where security deposits or first and last in advance are illegal.