[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-deposit-deduction-rules":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"category":163,"date":164,"description":12,"excerpt":165,"extension":166,"meta":167,"navigation":168,"path":169,"seo":170,"sortDate":171,"stem":172,"__hash__":173},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fdeposit-deduction-rules.md","Security Deposit Deductions: What You Can and Cannot Charge",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":152},"minimark",[9,13,18,26,30,64,68,94,98,101,128,132,135,139,142,146,149],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Deposit disputes are one of the most common sources of conflict at the end of a tenancy — usually because expectations were never written down clearly at the start. Here's how to handle deductions fairly and defensibly.",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"the-general-principle","The general principle",[10,19,20,21,25],{},"A security deposit exists to cover ",[22,23,24],"strong",{},"the landlord's actual losses"," caused by the tenant beyond normal wear and tear — not to fund general refurbishment or to be withheld as a matter of course. If you can't point to a specific, documented loss, you generally can't deduct for it.",[14,27,29],{"id":28},"what-you-can-typically-deduct-for","What you can typically deduct for",[31,32,33,40,46,52,58],"ul",{},[34,35,36,39],"li",{},[22,37,38],{},"Unpaid rent or utility bills"," left outstanding at move-out",[34,41,42,45],{},[22,43,44],{},"Damage beyond normal wear and tear"," — a hole in the wall, a broken door, stained or burned carpet, damaged fixtures",[34,47,48,51],{},[22,49,50],{},"Missing items"," listed in the inventory that weren't returned",[34,53,54,57],{},[22,55,56],{},"Excessive cleaning"," required to bring the unit back to a rentable condition (not routine cleaning — genuinely excessive mess)",[34,59,60,63],{},[22,61,62],{},"Unauthorised alterations"," that need to be reversed (e.g. holes from mounted shelving that wasn't agreed to, or paint colours that need to be restored)",[14,65,67],{"id":66},"what-you-typically-cannot-deduct-for","What you typically cannot deduct for",[31,69,70,76,82,88],{},[34,71,72,75],{},[22,73,74],{},"Normal wear and tear"," — faded paint, minor scuffs on floors, worn carpet from ordinary foot traffic, loose door handles from years of use. Tenants aren't liable for a property simply aging during a tenancy.",[34,77,78,81],{},[22,79,80],{},"Pre-existing damage"," that was present before the tenant moved in — this is exactly why a move-in inventory and photos matter",[34,83,84,87],{},[22,85,86],{},"Cosmetic preferences"," — wanting to repaint or replace fittings because your taste has changed, unrelated to anything the tenant did",[34,89,90,93],{},[22,91,92],{},"General maintenance"," that would have been needed regardless of the tenant (servicing an aging water heater, for example)",[14,95,97],{"id":96},"the-documentation-that-actually-protects-you","The documentation that actually protects you",[10,99,100],{},"Deposit disputes are won or lost on evidence, not opinion. Keep:",[102,103,104,110,116,122],"ol",{},[34,105,106,109],{},[22,107,108],{},"A move-in inventory"," with dated photos or video, ideally signed or acknowledged by the tenant, covering every room and any existing damage or wear",[34,111,112,115],{},[22,113,114],{},"A move-out inventory"," taken the same way, so the two can be compared directly",[34,117,118,121],{},[22,119,120],{},"Receipts or quotes"," for any repair or replacement you deduct for — a deduction without a receipt is much harder to defend",[34,123,124,127],{},[22,125,126],{},"Written communication"," with the tenant about the condition of the unit and any deductions, ideally before you finalise the amount",[14,129,131],{"id":130},"how-to-communicate-a-deduction","How to communicate a deduction",[10,133,134],{},"Send an itemised breakdown, not just a final number. For each deduction: what it's for, the cost (with receipt attached), and a reference photo showing the damage. This does two things — it gives the tenant a fair chance to dispute a specific item rather than the whole deduction, and it shows you approached the process in good faith if it's ever escalated.",[14,136,138],{"id":137},"if-the-tenant-disputes-a-deduction","If the tenant disputes a deduction",[10,140,141],{},"Try to resolve it directly first — many disputes come down to a genuine disagreement over what counts as \"wear and tear,\" and a reasonable conversation (or partial refund) often settles it. If it can't be resolved, both parties can escalate to the relevant tribunal, where documented evidence — inventories, photos, receipts — is what actually decides the outcome, not who argues more forcefully.",[14,143,145],{"id":144},"a-note-on-this-article","A note on this article",[10,147,148],{},"This is general guidance for Malaysian landlords, not legal advice. Specific deposit rules can depend on what your tenancy agreement says about the deposit's purpose and any deductions clause it contains — read that clause carefully before finalising deductions.",[10,150,151],{},"TenancyDesk lets you attach move-in and move-out photos to each tenancy and generates an itemised deduction summary you can share directly with tenants.",{"title":153,"searchDepth":154,"depth":154,"links":155},"",2,[156,157,158,159,160,161,162],{"id":16,"depth":154,"text":17},{"id":28,"depth":154,"text":29},{"id":66,"depth":154,"text":67},{"id":96,"depth":154,"text":97},{"id":130,"depth":154,"text":131},{"id":137,"depth":154,"text":138},{"id":144,"depth":154,"text":145},"Deposits","April 2026",null,"md",{},true,"\u002Fblog\u002Fdeposit-deduction-rules",{"title":5,"description":12},202604,"blog\u002Fdeposit-deduction-rules","Q3vEKsXfzBxaYek9e29D_Ot2j06hxYXDTpO-rmk3BsI"]