If a house rents for 1300 and it says $1000 deposit, what does the deposit go to exactly?
The security deposit covers any damages that may be incured during the course of the rental period. You should get this back at the end of your lease, being that all goes well. Landlords have 21 days in most states to return the deposit after you move out if there are no abnormal damages to the property. Hope this helps.
The money is a deposit if you skip out without paying rent and/or damage the place. Some landlords find a way to keep all or part of the money regardless with lame excuses like, “We have to clean the carpet…” which is something they would have to do anyway. As for references from people who have lived there and moved out. If you don’t want to ask the landlord for this, then ask people who are living there now if they could put you in touch with people who have lived there. Then you could ask them if the landlord has been fair and other questions like if there were problems with getting things repaired. Repair is a good question to ask current renters too.
