Renters · fees
Application fee is not your security deposit
Renters search this when move-out arrives and they expect the screening fee back. Landlords search when they want to pass through costs fairly.
- Application / screening fee · usually before move-in · governed by lease and state consumer rules · not returned like a deposit.
- Security deposit · held during tenancy · return or itemized statement after surrender on the state clock.
Operators: document move-in condition so the deposit conversation is about the unit, not the application from two years ago.
Not legal advice.