Security Deposit and provide itemized list - No Invoice

[Sean Saadat]

My house in California was rented for three years by a 3-person family. My tenants moved out on June 30th. When I went there to do inspection, I found out that there is a lot of work and only a normal cleaning service would not be enough to make the house ready for the next tenant. I have been cleaning the house since the day after my tenants moved out and still every day I become surprised by finding something new, which needs to be cleaned or repaired. To see the conditions of the premises, I attach some photos. My tenants have paid $898 as their security deposit. Although I have already read about the laws related to security deposit matter in CA Civil Code Section 1950.5, I would like the property owners with similar experiences to me consider my situation and advise me regarding the following items

1- How to calculate their security deposit and provide an itemized list, while I do not have any invoice in my hands.

2- As my tenants have not left any forwarding address, shall I contact and ask her the new address for sending the itemized list? I know that the California law says I shall send the letter to their previous address, where is my house. I am just double-checking other options.

3- Based on my calculations so far, the damage and charges due to cleaning including vertical blinds, wall and carpet cleaning exceeds their security deposit amount. In other words, I am afraid their security deposit covers all my effort and labor as well as the amount of gas I burnt to reach myself to the house every day to revert everything back to the situation they entered the house three years ago. In this situation, shall I send them the itemized list and ask them to cover the amount, which exceeds their security deposit?

Thanks for inputs in advance

[Jerel Ehlert]

Normal wear and tear.  Not deductable.  Even the minor chips from corner sheetrock.  That's what you get paid rent for.  Blinds ought to have a standard charge (something like $50-75 per window).  Should be straight pass-through cost.