{"id":57159,"date":"2023-07-20T13:22:02","date_gmt":"2023-07-20T05:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress-my-161844363.ap-southeast-1.elb.amazonaws.com\/articles\/?p=57159"},"modified":"2023-07-20T18:30:41","modified_gmt":"2023-07-20T10:30:41","slug":"rental-deposit-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imoney.my\/articles\/rental-deposit-return","title":{"rendered":"What Can You Do If Your Landlord Doesn\u2019t Return Your Rental Deposit?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although we might hear countless stories about <\/span>nightmare tenants<\/span><\/a>, their counterpart, the nightmare landlords are out there as well. In fact, there have been stories of landlords using their tenant\u2019s underwear for some <\/span>unsavoury activities<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your landlord might not be that bad, but there are some things that they can do that infringes on your rights as a tenant. One of those things is by withholding your rental deposit, which they have agreed to return at the end of your tenancy.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>What is a rental deposit?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

As the name suggests, a rental deposit is an advance payment that a tenant must make to a landlord before moving into a rental house.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This deposit is used as a tenant\u2019s guarantee towards the landlord and is usually returned at the end of the tenancy. The amount to be paid will be determined by the landlord based on the type of rental deposit, such as a security deposit or utility deposit.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Malaysia, the most common type of rental deposit is the 2+1 rental deposit which is two months of rent, plus one extra month.<\/span><\/p>\n

The purpose of a rental deposit is to protect the landlord from any damages that might occur due to the tenant\u2019s negligence. The cost of repairing anything you break during the tenancy will come out of your two month deposit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the extra month in your rental deposit is usually regarded as the utility deposit, which covers the cost of any unpaid bills when you leave.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a good tenant, you should get your deposit back as there won\u2019t be anything to spend it on. Otherwise, you can expect some (or all) amount to be deducted before anything is returned.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>When do you forfeit your rental deposit?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

But first before you start confronting your landlord on your unreturned rental deposit, let\u2019s explore what are the situations where a tenant will forfeit their rental deposit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Usually, the landlord will be entitled to forfeit your deposit when there are major damages to the house that do not include the normal wear and tear. For example, if you leave the house with a huge hole on the ceiling, then the landlord will be entitled to use your rental deposit to repair the damages caused by you.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>The importance of a tenancy agreement<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

In the event that your landlord has failed to return your deposit, you will have to prepare to take legal action<\/span>. <\/b>The first step is simple: find a copy of your tenancy agreement.<\/span>
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\n<\/span>The reason for this is, your tenancy agreement is an agreement between you and your landlord, detailing all the terms and conditions of your tenancy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the details that will be covered in your rental deposit includes terms such as;<\/span><\/p>\n