Rental Deposit Return Calculator
Estimate how much of your security deposit you should get back
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Need to estimate how much of your security deposit you should get back? Rental Deposit Return Calculator answers in seconds. Type Security Deposit ($), Years Lived and Damage Deductions ($) into Rental Deposit Return; each keystroke re-runs the math. In Rental Deposit Return the working sits beside the answer. Rental Deposit Return replaces guesswork. Rental Deposit Return is privacy-first: Lifestyle inputs stay offline. Rental Deposit Return sits in the Lifestyle section next to free online rental deposit return calculator and rental deposit return calculator. Rental Deposit Return goes from question to answer fast. Try Rental Deposit Return now and keep it handy.
What the defaults give
A $2,000 deposit held for two years with $200 of damage and $100 of cleaning returns $1,500.
Deductions are $200 of normal wear plus the $300 of damage and cleaning, and the tool flags that $300 as the disputable part.
How the refund is built
wear allowance = 5% × deposit × years
refund = deposit − wear allowance − damage − cleaning
The wear allowance grows with how long you stayed, which reflects the idea that a flat depreciates with use. At the defaults it is 5% of $2,000 for two years, or $200. Damage and cleaning are taken at face value.
Worked examples
$2,000 deposit, 2 years, $300 of charges → $1,500 back
$1,000 deposit → $600
$4,000 deposit → $3,300
1 year instead of 2 → $1,600
4 years → $1,300
$100 of damage → $1,600
$400 of damage → $1,300
Time and damage pull in opposite directions: each extra year takes another $100 of the deposit as wear, while each $100 of damage takes a dollar-for-dollar $100. That is why a long tenancy with light damage can return less than a short one with none.
The rule the tool does not encode
In most jurisdictions normal wear and tear is not deductible at all. A landlord can charge for damage beyond reasonable use, unpaid rent and cleaning that restores the property to how it was let — not for faded paint, worn carpet in a walkway or minor scuffs from furniture. If your deposit is being reduced for those, the deduction is usually challengeable, and the wear allowance this tool subtracts is a negotiating baseline rather than a legal entitlement.
Deposit rules also set deadlines. Many places require the balance and an itemised statement within 14–30 days of the tenancy ending, and some require interest on the deposit for longer tenancies. Missing the deadline can forfeit the right to deduct at all.
Before you move out
Photograph everything, keep the inventory you signed, and ask for receipts for any charge above a token amount. Cleaning is the most contested line: if the lease required professional cleaning and you did it, the invoice is your evidence.
Dispute in writing and keep it factual. Ask for the itemised statement, the receipts and the move-in condition report, then list the charges you accept and the ones you do not, with a reason for each. A deposit is your money held in trust, and a landlord who cannot document a deduction usually settles rather than argue.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of my deposit should I get back?
At the defaults, $1,500 of $2,000 — after a $200 wear allowance and $300 of damage and cleaning.
Can a landlord deduct for normal wear and tear?
In most jurisdictions, no. This tool subtracts a 5%-a-year wear allowance as a negotiating baseline, not because the law allows the charge.
How long does a deposit take to return?
Commonly 14–30 days after the tenancy ends, with an itemised statement. Deadlines vary by state and missing one can bar deductions.
What counts as damage rather than wear?
Burns, holes, stains and broken fixtures are damage; faded paint, worn carpet and minor scuffs are wear. The difference decides most disputes.
Does the calculator include unpaid rent?
No. Only damage and cleaning are inputs. Rent arrears are a separate deduction and usually the largest one.
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