The law
The rules for cleaning deductions
- The standard is your move-in condition. A landlord can deduct for cleaning “to return the unit to the same level of cleanliness it was in at the inception of the tenancy”, not to make it cleaner than you found it.
- Normal wear and tear isn’t yours to pay for. Faded paint, light carpet wear and small scuffs from ordinary living are the landlord’s cost.
- Deadline: within 21 days of move-out, the landlord returns the deposit or sends an itemized statement of what was kept and why.
- Proof: for any deduction over $125, the statement must come with receipts for labor and materials.
- Photos: since April 1, 2025, the landlord must photograph the unit after you return it but before repairs or cleaning they will charge for, and again after that work is done, and send you those photos with the itemized statement.
- For tenancies that start on or after July 1, 2025, the landlord must also photograph the unit at move-in.
- Bad faith: a landlord who keeps a deposit in bad faith can be ordered to pay up to twice the deposit on top of returning it.
Source: Sacramento County Public Law Library: Security Deposits (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5)
Source: San Francisco Rent Board: Security deposits (AB 2801 photo rules)
Source: Superior Court of California, Santa Clara County: Civil Code § 1950.5 text
General information, not legal advice. For a dispute, contact the Sacramento County Public Law Library or a tenant rights organization.
Before you hand back the keys
Five steps that protect your deposit
- 1Find your move-in checklist and photos. The landlord’s cleaning charges are measured against them.
- 2Ask in writing for a pre-move-out inspection in your last two weeks. The landlord then has to list what they’d deduct for, while you still have time to fix it.
- 3Clean the empty home, or have it cleaned, after the last box is out. Cleaning around furniture misses exactly what inspections check.
- 4Take your own dated photos and video of every room, inside the oven, fridge and cabinets, after the clean.
- 5Give your forwarding address in writing so the deposit and statement can reach you.
Room by room
The move-out cleaning checklist landlords inspect
These are the places that turn into cleaning deductions most often. It’s the same list our move-out crew works from:
| Area | What to clean |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | Countertops and backsplash wiped and sanitized · Sink and faucet scrubbed and polished · Stovetop cleaned · Outside of appliances wiped (fridge, oven, dishwasher) · inside the oven, racks and broiler drawer · inside the fridge and freezer · inside every cabinet and drawer |
| Bathrooms | Toilet cleaned inside, outside and around the base · Tub and shower scrubbed · Sink, vanity top and fixtures cleaned · Mirrors cleaned streak-free · Tile and grout lines scrubbed · Soap scum and hard-water buildup removed · inside vanities and medicine cabinets |
| Every room | Baseboards hand-wiped throughout · Door frames, doors and trim wiped · Light fixtures and ceiling fans dusted · Air vents and returns dusted · Window sills and tracks cleaned · closet shelves, rods and floors |
| Floors | Vacuumed and mopped, including inside closets and behind where appliances stood |
| Garage and laundry | Swept, cobwebs removed, laundry area wiped |
Do it yourself or hire it out?
When a professional move-out clean pays for itself
If the home is small and was kept clean, doing it yourself with the checklist above is reasonable. It’s worth hiring when the oven and bathrooms need real work, when you’re short on time on moving day, or when the deposit is large. A professional clean comes with a receipt you can show if the landlord disputes the cleaning. Ours costs $400 for a studio or 1-bedroom and $560 for 3 bedrooms, and if your landlord documents something we missed, we come back and re-clean it free.
Before you move in
How much a landlord can ask for as a deposit
Since July 1, 2024, most California landlords can collect a security deposit of no more than one month’s rent, furnished or unfurnished. A small landlord (a person, a family trust or an LLC of individuals with no more than two rental properties and four units in total) can still collect up to two months, except from a service member.
Source: California Apartment Association: New law limiting security deposits now in effect (AB 12)
The deposit size matters at move-out too: the bigger the deposit, the more a professional clean and good photos are worth.
A template
A short letter asking for your deposit back
If the deposit hasn’t arrived within 21 days, or the deductions look wrong, put it in writing. Something like this works:
Sample letter
Dear [landlord], I moved out of [address] on [date] and returned the keys on [date]. My forwarding address is [address]. California Civil Code § 1950.5 requires the deposit, or an itemized statement with receipts for deductions over $125, within 21 days. I have not received [the deposit / receipts for the cleaning charge of $X]. The unit was professionally cleaned on [date]; the receipt and my dated photos are attached. Please return $[amount] by [date, about 10 days out]. Thank you, [name]
Keep a copy, and send it in a way you can prove, such as email plus certified mail.
If it isn’t resolved
Small claims court for deposit disputes
In California, an individual can sue for up to $12,500 in small claims court, lawyers aren’t allowed to represent either side at the hearing, and the filing process is designed for people without one.
Source: California Courts Self-Help Guide: Check you have a case for small claims
- Bring the lease, the move-in checklist and photos, your move-out photos and video, the cleaning receipt and every letter or email.
- Ask for the deposit amount and, if you believe the landlord acted in bad faith, up to twice the deposit in addition.
- Sacramento County Superior Court and the Sacramento County Public Law Library have free small claims help.
General information, not legal advice.
For landlords
What landlords should document to deduct for cleaning
- Photos at move-in (required for tenancies starting on or after July 1, 2025), with the move-in checklist signed by the tenant.
- Photos after the tenant returns the keys and before any cleaning you’ll charge for, and again after the cleaning (required since April 1, 2025).
- The cleaning invoice, especially for deductions over $125.
- An itemized statement mailed within 21 days, with the photos.
A professional turnover clean gives you the receipt and the condition to match. Our tenant turnover service does the haul-out and the clean in one visit.
Questions
Quick answers on move-out cleaning and deposits
Can my landlord charge for professional cleaning in California?
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Only for cleaning needed to return the unit to the level of cleanliness it had when you moved in. The charge has to reflect the cleaning actually needed, measured against the unit’s move-in condition.
How long does a landlord have to return a deposit in California?
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21 days after you move out, with an itemized statement for anything kept.
Does my landlord have to send photos?
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Since April 1, 2025, yes, for repairs and cleaning they deduct for: photos taken before and after that work, sent with the itemized statement.
What does a move-out clean include?
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Everything in a deep clean plus the inside of the oven, fridge, freezer, cabinets, drawers and closets, blinds, interior windows and a final walk-through.
How much can a California landlord charge for a security deposit?
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Since July 1, 2024, usually no more than one month’s rent. Small landlords with no more than two properties and four units can charge up to two months, except to service members.
Can I take my landlord to small claims over a deposit?
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Yes. Individuals can claim up to $12,500 in California small claims court, which covers most deposit disputes.