Simple Property Tools Itemize it. Date it. Never pay the fees. · Founded in Chicago · 32 states + DCItemize it. Date it. Never pay the fees. · Founded in Chicago · 32 states + DC

Start turnover packet Free draft · pain guides when the clock already hurts

Security deposit return · 32 states + DC · up to 40 units

Avoid penalties. Keep records that protect you. Never pay the fees.

Clock starts at surrender (keys back, unit vacant) · 30 or 45 days by state · pick yours in the wizard.

Spreadsheets lose surrender dates and move-in proof. Deposit Desk · five steps · statutory deadline · line-item withholds · mail-ready export.

Built for landlords who run the doors themselves.

Turnover packet in one export · per-turn pricing like screening · Pro when doors stack

How the five steps work · Per turn & Pro

Statewide
30 days after surrender · 765 ILCS 715/
Chicago
45 days · RLTO
Vs Excel
Deadline + packet in one export
Open Deposit Desk Per turn · Pro pricing Move-in / move-out hub
Open Deposit Desk Deposit Desk · free draft · sample packet below

Pick your path

Do the work

Start a free packet

Missed clock or weak proof costs more than $29 at export · five steps · deadline on screen first.

Something went wrong

Pain hub

Tenant texted · no forwarding address · PM app will not print the letter · start with guides, finish in Deposit Desk.

Already in trouble

Missed deadline guides

Missed clock, disputes, itemization, surrender date · national pain guides.

Pay for the turn

Per turn or Pro

Cheaper than a fee · pays for itself with one claim on the line · $29 / $49 per turn · Pro $99/yr · 40 units.

Shape the product

Suggest a ruleset

New state rules, wizard fields, or guide ideas · we read every note.

Your stack

Solutions beside free rent apps

Keep Innago, Avail, or your bank for rent · add Deposit Desk and Condition hub only where turnover needs proof and a statutory packet.

Condition hub

Dated move-in / move-out walkthrough on this device

Open hub · Tool list

Problem → fix

Three ways operators lose deposits

Deadline

Return or itemize late after surrender. Penalties follow the statutory window, not your inbox.

Deposit Desk logs surrender and shows 30- or 45-day math before you export.

Proof

No dated move-in photos or line items means the withhold you remember is the one a tenant fights.

Room tables, photo links, and itemized withholds in one printable packet.

Seasonality

Quiet months do not need another SaaS bill. Turnover weeks need a real packet, not a forgotten tab.

Draft free · unlock print per turn · Pro when turns stack. Vs spreadsheet.

Guides

Guides · deadlines · comparisons

State rules, turnover comparisons, and dispute playbooks · 32 states + DC · not legal advice.

All guides · RSS

Pricing

Pay for the turn, not the panic

One missed deadline or weak packet usually costs more than a year of Pro or one per-turn fee.

Free draft always · $29 / $49 per turn · $22/mo or $99/yr Pro · up to 40 units.

  • Free · full wizard, deadline on screen, Calendar and Sheets export.
  • Per turn · pass-through on the lease ledger · unlock print at step 5.
  • Pro · print + reminders when you run multiple turns per year.

See pricing

Coverage

32 states + DC · color bar, not guesswork

Using the wrong state's clock or skipping move-in proof costs more than a per-turn fee.

Scroll the color bar under the header on any page · green 30-day vs gold 45-day chips · tap your state, then finish the wizard. Coverage spans 32 states + DC with Chicago RLTO on Illinois when you pick Chicago.

Guides by state Open Deposit Desk

Workflow

Five steps · one defensible export

Skip a step and you pay at dispute time, not at checkout.

Property and city rule → tenant and surrender → move-in proof → move-out lines → deadline and print.

  1. 1
    Property · state · major city dropdown (Chicago RLTO)
  2. 2
    Tenant · deposit · surrender date
  3. 3
    Move-in rooms · optional photos
  4. 4
    Move-out line items · running total
  5. 5
    Deadline · Google Calendar · Sheets · print (per turn or Pro)

Google Calendar · Sheets · .ics · email reminders · packet .json · beside Innago or Avail

Works with the Google Calendar and Sheets you already use · adds surrender math and export.

Launch

Scale tools before headaches compound

At 10+ doors, memory and group texts stop working.

Start with deposit packets and banking at 1–10 doors · add ledger and light PM at 10–20 · automate at 20–40. Tools by door count · Suggest a ruleset

1–10 · deposit packet + files · 10–20 · ledger + light PM · 20–40 · automate rent + reminders

FAQ

Ten doors · quick answers

Grouped like the packet notebook · clocks, pricing, stacks, and honest limits. Not legal advice.

Clocks & deadlines

When does the deposit return clock start?

On surrender · keys back and the unit vacant · not the lease end date alone. Deposit Desk step 2 records that date for the deadline math. Read surrender date and keys not returned (same idea in every supported state).

Which states are in the wizard?

32 states + DC with default 30- or 45-day return windows from surrender. Use the color bar above · gold = 45-day defaults · blue = 30-day · Ctrl+click (Mac: ⌘+click) a chip to open that state’s official deposit statute. Illinois adds a Chicago RLTO city toggle. Local ordinances may still differ · confirm with counsel. Browse guides by state or suggest a ruleset.

How long do I have to return a deposit?

State law (and sometimes city law) sets the window after surrender. Examples: Illinois statewide 765 ILCS 715/ · 30 days; Chicago RLTO · 45 days; Ohio ORC 5321.16 · 30 days. The wizard shows your state’s cite with a link · pick your state in Deposit Desk.

Missed the deposit return deadline?

Lock a defensible surrender date, itemize withholds by line (not one lump “cleaning”), and export a dated packet · late documentation beats silence. Start with Illinois missed deadline, multi-state roundup, or your state cluster on Guides. Confirm penalties with counsel.

Product & pricing

Per turn or Pro subscription?

Draft free in the browser. Per turn: $29 move-out print unlock or $49 full tenancy on one packet · often passed through like screening. Pro: $22/mo or $99/yr · unlimited print · up to 40 units · best when several turns stack each year. Full math on Pricing.

Is Deposit Desk property management software?

No. Move-in checklist, move-out line items, statutory deadline helper, Google Calendar / Sheets export, and print-ready packets only · not rent collection, listings, or maintenance ticketing.

Spreadsheet or Deposit Desk?

Sheets work for one door · they break when surrender dates and cites differ across units in the same week. Compare packet vs spreadsheet and Excel mistakes.

Disputes & proof

Tenant disputing the withhold?

Move-in room logs, dated photos, and line-item withholds beat email arguments. See deposit dispute guide, wear vs damage, and no move-in photos.

Stacks & workflows

Already on Innago, SimplifyEm, or TurboTenant?

Keep your rent suite · add Deposit Desk at turnover for surrender clocks, line-item withholds, and print packets. Compare guides: Innago/Avail, SimplifyEm, TurboTenant/TenantCloud.

Chicago deposit timeline without a lawyer?

Start with paperwork: RLTO vs statewide clocks, surrender date, and itemization · Chicago workflow guide, 45-day RLTO, and IL wizard. Counsel for disputes and edge buildings · not legal advice.

Where can I leave feedback or a review?

Product feedback goes to /feedback · support at hello@simple-property.com. We do not maintain a third-party review wall · share compare guides or your packet workflow if you refer another operator.

Trust & limits

Honest limits · what we do not replace

Four things to plan for: (1) No tenant maintenance portal · photos and withholds stay on your discipline, not a plumber ticket queue. (2) Rent and screening stay in your PM suite or bank · we do not collect monthly rent. (3) Two systems at turnover · copy surrender date, deposit held, and forwarding address from Avail, Innago, or your ledger into Deposit Desk (or import packet .json). (4) Not legal advice · ~$350/hr counsel time is for judgment; $29–49/turn is for organized packets. Stack map: tools by door count.

Is this legal advice?

No. Simple Property Tools helps you document dates, itemization, and deadlines. Statute labels and outbound links are convenience only · verify every requirement with licensed counsel in your state. See Legal hub and Terms.

Records only · not legal advice. Confirm requirements with licensed counsel in your state.