Security deposits
Can my landlord keep my deposit for cleaning?
Only to return the unit to the cleanliness it had when you moved in - not for routine turnover cleaning or normal wear. Flat 'cleaning fees' deducted regardless of condition are widely disallowed.
The line is condition, not custom: if you left the place as clean as you got it (minus normal wear), cleaning generally isn't deductible. If you left a greasy oven or stained carpet that arrived clean, that specific cleaning is fair game.
This is why move-in and move-out photos decide these disputes. A dated photo set beats a landlord's checklist in small-claims court almost every time.
The details vary by state. Your state's deduction rules and deadline →
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The Security deposit recovery turns this answer into action.
General educational information, not legal advice. Laws vary by state and city and change over time - for a specific situation, contact a local tenant-rights organization.