When moving into an apartment in Jacksonville, you will be asked to provide a security deposit. If this is your first time living in an apartment, you might not know what exactly this is, what it covers, and if you get it back. What exactly are you covering by giving your Jacksonville apartment a security deposit? Is this standard? Is the price the same at all apartments in Jacksonville? A security deposit is a standard item that everyone has to pay when they rent an apartment.
The security deposit will be required before your landlord can guarantee your Jacksonville apartment. Most of the time, your security deposit will depend on the monthly rent of your apartment in Jacksonville as well as your credit history. The more expensive your apartment, the higher the security deposit. A security deposit is your landlord's way of protecting themselves. Some tenants cause damage to their Jacksonville apartment and the landlord is responsible for fixing the damage once the tenant moves out. This damage is aside from the normal wear and tear of an apartment. Damages might include, but are definitely not limited to, ripped carpets, holes in the walls, damage to fixtures, etc.
The landlord will use the security deposit to repair the damages and, if there is a credit remaining, will return the remainder of the security deposit to the tenant. If the tenant in the Jacksonville apartment does no damage and leaves the apartment clean and in good condition, the landlord will refund the security deposit. There are times when a landlord and a tenant do not agree on what is considered damage and what is normal wear and tear. One thing to remember, normal wear and tear would be like wear on the carpet in high-traffic areas, minor paint scratches, dings in the paint on the door, or anything else that will occur just from living in the apartment.
Damage is mostly considered the big things, like those listed above. If you see something in your apartment and you aren't sure if the Jacksonville apartment complex will consider it damage or normal wear and tear, consider asking the apartment manager to stop by your apartment and check it out. If it is something you can fix yourself, then I would offer to do that.
One thing to remember before signing your lease is to tour your apartment before moving in furniture and make notes of things that might seem broken or damaged. Most Jacksonville apartments will give you a checklist to use for this. Make sure to turn it into the Jacksonville apartment complex office and have them place it in your file. This will save you from being charged for something that was broken or messed up before you moved in. Notice things like cracks in the ceiling, holes in the wall, leaky faucets, or other things along those lines.
When you move out, you will also want to fill out another form or checklist, especially if no one walks through your Jacksonville apartment before you leave the premises. As with every other aspect of leasing an apartment, make sure to read your lease! Ask questions if items are unclear. Know what is and isn't allowed and what repairs you might be responsible for versus the landlord.
Each Jacksonville apartment has its own set of rules about the security deposit so make sure you know those rules up front so you can abide by them. Some apartments in Jacksonville might use part of your security deposit to clean your apartment. They might also use it to cover the last month's rent. Know what is expected of you before you sign. If you do what is laid out in your lease, getting your full security deposit returned to you will be no problem.