When an Inspection is Not Carried Out

If a landlord does not carry out an inspection either before or after the tenancy, he cannot deduct anything from a security deposit for damages that go beyond normal wear and tear. It might still be possible for the landlord to return your security deposit and then sue you for any damage caused.

If your landlord makes a deduction from your security deposit for damages when an inspection was not carried out, you can take legal action to recover the money. It will then be up to the court to decide if the landlord is able to keep any of the money.

May 2005