If my landlord plans to renovate, must I repair any damage before moving out?

By Lucy Cohen Blatter | February 24, 2015 - 1:59PM

When it comes to getting your security deposit back in NYC, the general rule of thumb is that as long as you return the place to "move-in condition" before you move, you should get your money back in full. Often that means you'll need to spend a few hours pre-move applying primer over walls you've painted, and filling in nail holes. But over on Apartment Therapy, a renter asks whether she should waste her time fixing up an apartment that, according to the super, is likely to get a gut reno after she moves out.

The short answer: No. But she better be sure that what the super said is actually correct. The renter should reach out to the building manager (or whoever handles security deposits and takes in rent) to confirm that the place really will be renovated, the blog recommends. "Make sure to mention that you've taken great care of the apartment, so you expect to get your entire deposit back and you want to do whatever necessary to make sure that happens."

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