Key points
- The standard is the condition you moved into, apart from normal wear and tear. A deep clean is not required, but leaving trash or a very dirty unit can justify a reasonable, documented cleaning charge.
- Photograph and video every room when you leave, return the keys in a way you can prove, and give the landlord your forwarding address in writing.
- The landlord must return the deposit, with interest, within 30 days after the tenancy ends.
- A deduction for damage requires an itemized list signed under penalties of perjury, with estimates, bills or invoices. Damage already noted on the move-in statement of condition generally cannot be deducted.
Leave it the way you found it
The fair standard at move-out is the condition the unit was in when you moved in, allowing for normal wear and tear. You are not expected to hire a professional deep clean. You are expected to remove all trash and belongings, wipe down the kitchen, appliances and bathroom, and leave the place reasonably clean. If the stove is caked, the fridge is full or trash is left behind, a landlord may have grounds for a reasonable cleaning charge, supported by photos or invoices.
According to the Attorney General’s guide, a lease may not require you to pay for professional cleaning or for normal wear and tear regardless of the unit’s condition.
Before you hand back the keys
A short checklist:
- Deal with large items early. Mattresses usually cannot go out with regular trash; book your city’s pickup or follow its disposal rules
- Photograph and video every room, including closets, cabinets and the inside of appliances, with the date visible
- Return all keys, fobs and parking passes in a way you can show: to the office or front desk with a written receipt, or as the landlord instructs in writing
- Give the landlord your forwarding address and how you want the deposit returned, in writing
- Transfer or close the utility accounts in your name as of the date your responsibility ends under the lease
The 30-day rule and what can be deducted
Massachusetts requires the landlord to return the security deposit, with interest, within 30 days after the tenancy ends. The only deductions allowed are:
- Rent or water charges owed and not validly withheld
- A share of a real estate tax increase, if the lease has a valid tax escalation clause
- The reasonable cost of repairing damage beyond normal wear and tear caused by the tenant, household members or guests
The paperwork a landlord must provide
A deduction for damage must come with an itemized list of the damage and repair costs, signed under penalties of perjury, and written evidence such as estimates, bills, invoices or receipts. Damage listed on the statement of condition you received at move-in cannot be deducted, unless the landlord repaired it and can prove that new, unrelated damage was caused by the tenant or someone there with the tenant’s consent.
That is why the move-in statement matters. In Massachusetts, a landlord who takes a security deposit must give you a statement of the unit’s condition, and you have 15 days after receiving it or moving in, whichever is later, to check it, sign it and return it, attaching your own signed list of anything it misses. Keep your copy and your own move-in photos until the deposit is back.
A landlord who does not follow these rules can lose the right to keep any part of the deposit, and some violations carry damages of three times the deposit plus interest and legal fees.
If you disagree
Start in writing: point to your move-in statement and photos, and ask the landlord to explain each deduction. Many disputes end there. If yours does not, you can bring a deposit claim in small claims court, where many people represent themselves.
General information for tenants in Massachusetts, current as of the date shown. It is not legal advice.