No list. No receipts. Just less money.
You may be owed all of it. Most states make your landlord send a written, itemized list of what they kept, by a deadline. In Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and Pennsylvania, no list in time means they can't keep any of it for damage.
What does a real itemized list include?
Each charge, what it was for and how much. Some states want more:
- California: receipts if repairs and cleaning top $125, plus photos for move-outs since April 1, 2025. (Civ. Code §1950.5(h))
- Washington: estimates or paid invoices, or hours and rate if they did the work. (RCW 59.18.280(1)(b))
- Colorado: the exact reasons, in writing. (C.R.S. § 38-12-103(1)(a))
What if the list never came?
- Pennsylvania: they forfeit all rights to keep any of it. (68 P.S. § 250.512(b))
- Michigan: it counts as agreeing no damages are due, and the full deposit must be returned. (MCL 554.610)
- Maryland: they forfeit the right to keep any of it for damages. (Real Prop. § 8-203(g)(2))
- Massachusetts: they forfeit the right to keep any of it, for any reason. (ch. 186, § 15B(6)(b))
What should I do?
Ask once, in writing, for the itemized list. Then check your deadline. If it has passed, ask for all of it back.
Last updated . Checked against each state's official law. General information, not legal advice.