Security Deposit Deduction Calculator
Did your landlord bill you full price to replace an old carpet or repaint a unit you lived in for years? Estimate how much of the charge is the item's legitimate depreciated value and how much may be contestable under federal useful-life guidelines. Free, instant, and private — nothing is stored or sent.
Free estimate · No signup · No credit card
HUD MAP Guide Appendix 5C (carpet ≈ 5-year useful life)
Enter the charge and the item's age above to see your estimate.
How the estimate is calculated
Most rental items have an established useful life: HUD Handbook 4350.1 treats interior paint as lasting about 3 years, the HUD MAP Guide Appendix 5C treats carpet as lasting about 5 years, and IRS Publication 527 treats appliances as depreciable over several years. A landlord can generally only charge a departing tenant for the remaining (depreciated) value of an item, not its full replacement cost — and ordinary wear and tear is not chargeable at all. This calculator multiplies the charge by the share of useful life remaining to estimate the legitimate maximum, and treats the difference as potentially contestable.
Calculator FAQs
Is this security deposit calculator free?
Yes. The estimate is completely free, runs entirely in your browser, and requires no signup or card. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
How is the contestable amount calculated?
It applies the standard depreciation method: an item that is part-way through its useful life has already lost value the landlord cannot bill you for. The legitimate maximum is the charge multiplied by the share of useful life remaining; the rest is potentially contestable. If the item has passed its useful life, its depreciated value is generally $0.
Does this mean my landlord legally owes me this amount?
No. This is a general, non-binding estimate based on federal useful-life guidelines (HUD Handbook 4350.1, HUD MAP Guide Appendix 5C, IRS Publication 527). Your actual rights depend on your lease and your state's security-deposit statute, and normal wear and tear generally cannot be charged at all. Treat the result as a starting point, not legal advice.
When would I actually pay anything?
Only if you choose to generate a formal rebuttal letter to contest the charges — and that decision comes after you see your free analysis. The calculator itself never charges you.
This calculator provides a general estimate, not legal advice, and does not guarantee any refund or outcome. Useful-life figures are drawn from HUD Handbook 4350.1, the HUD MAP Guide Appendix 5C, and IRS Publication 527; your lease and your state's security-deposit statute control your actual rights. Deposit Forensics is not a law firm. Last reviewed: June 2026.