Tenant wanting security deposit back and I have a question

[Jonathan Massey]

I just took over a property about a month ago and the tenant who currently is on the lease has her husband and daughter staying there and they are over 18. She changed the locks without my consent. Now she's planning yo move out and persistent about getting her full security deposit back. How would that effect the payout?

[Courtney King]

@Jonathan Massey What market are you in? In Texas she can demand all she wants but we can't generally do anything about the deposit until she's given possession back to you. And even once you have possession, you have 30 days to complete final accounting. I'm not sure if you have any other rentals but I'd treat it like normally. Always refer back to the lease and stress what the protocol is. 

I sometimes will communicate with the tenant and say that I'm happy to walk through the property a few weeks before move out to give them an idea of what they need to do to get their deposit back. This shows good faith and also gives you an opportunity to see the overall condition before the move out; gives you an idea of what you will need to spend in terms of make ready. I hope this is helpful.