Most deposit disputes come down to one distinction: normal wear and tear, which a landlord cannot charge you for, versus damage and uncleanliness, which they can. Knowing where the line sits — and photographing it — is what decides the outcome.
This is general guidance rather than legal advice, and Chicago has its own ordinance on top of state law. If real money is at stake, the city's Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance is worth reading directly.
What counts as normal wear
- Faded paint and minor scuffs on walls
- Carpet worn along walkways, but not stained or burned
- Small nail holes from hanging pictures
- Worn finish on floors from ordinary use
- Loose hinges, sticking doors, worn caulk
What a landlord can deduct for
- Uncleanliness — the most common deduction, and the most avoidable
- Stains, burns, or pet damage to carpet
- Holes larger than a nail, or unapproved paint colours
- Broken fixtures, appliances or windows
- Items left behind that they have to remove
Document like you expect a dispute
- 1Photograph every room empty, in daylight, before you clean and after. Timestamped.
- 2Photograph inside the oven, inside the fridge, inside cabinets and behind the appliances specifically — those are the disputed spots.
- 3Keep the receipt from any professional cleaning. It is the difference between your word and evidence.
- 4Request a joint walkthrough in writing. If the landlord declines, you have that in writing too.
Timing
Clean after the unit is empty and before the final inspection, never after. If something gets flagged you want the unit still empty and your access still valid, so it can be fixed rather than deducted.
If a deduction is unfair
Ask for an itemised statement — Illinois requires landlords to provide one for deductions within a set window. Compare it against your photographs. A specific, documented objection resolves far more of these than an angry email does.
