All Forum Posts by: Matt Rasich

You're absolutely right, @Omar C. -- albeit small, he has not once given us a return on interest. 

@Val Ruggeberg and @Bill S. Thank you! Good information there. I've brought up the checklist idea twice and he's evaded the idea. Looks like I'll jut have to print one out for the walkthrough just in case.

@Levi Bennett I've looked through most of the laws and called the hotline in Chicago, but feel experience gives good feedback in this case. I know landlords have 45 days to give back the deposit. 

 I appreciate the kind words. I wish I would have done a checklist because I'm pretty intuitive but I was naive in this instance. My landlord also tried to pull some stuff over on me but I had our original lease saved that refuted his claims. These actions lead me to believe he will try something again in regards to the deposit. Thanks for the advice!

@Jon Holdman I do have a video of walking through the apt our first day but no pictures. Unfortunately, I do not have a walkthrough checklist from that day either but hopefully my landlord will agree with @Richard C. as we've left it remarkably the same, however, even though my oven was not cleaned when we moved in I am going to assume responsibility for cleaning that as well. 

Congrats! I hope to achieve some debt buying a place down the road and building my way out :)

Hi guys. My name is Matt and currently my wife and I have been living at the same apartment in Chicago for 3 years -- never late on rent. 

Long story short: My landlord raised the rent by $40 year two and $60 year three but two months ago (a week before our wedding) he let us know he'll be raising rent by $250. He came into our apt, with notice, two days before our wedding to take pictures. I was at my bachelor party while my wife was crafting center pieces and our landlord made her cry because of how the apt looked stating "this is a business!" There was no damage to our place, but it was full of wedding gifts and supplies. I've been searching the web for information, which thankfully led me to find BiggerPockets.

Needless to say we are moving out to another apt in a few days and I'd like to get your thoughts (tenants & landlords) who have gone through the issue of security deposit multiple times.

I would like to know the thought process of a landlord and what you would look for while walking through the apartment.

Do many landlords use a walkthrough checklist and what would it look like?

Any tenants out there who have had good and/or bad experiences with retaining your security deposits? Any success stories?

I feel I would need something in writing to cover our backs. I'd love your input since this is the first time dealing with this type of situation.