If the repair is yours to pay
Get more than one quote before you agree to a price, and ask the contractor to confirm where the property line and the public side begin.
Repair-request & landlord/tenant forms (LawDepot)Templates for a notice to repair, security-deposit demand, and more.
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Default rule and exceptions
California landlords must return the security deposit (or an itemized statement of deductions) no later than 21 calendar days after the tenant moves out, and may only deduct for unpaid rent, cleaning, and repair of damage, not ordinary wear and tear (Civil Code §1950.5).
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Landlord | Furnish an itemized statement within 21 calendar days of move-out and may deduct only for unpaid rent, cleaning, and damage repair, not ordinary wear and tear. |
| Tenant | Is not liable for ordinary wear and tear but is liable for damage beyond that, subject to the landlord's itemized statement. |
| Exceptions | None on record |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Sep 16, 2026.
No later than 21 calendar days after the tenant has vacated the premises... the landlord shall furnish the tenant, a copy of an itemized statement indicating the basis for, and the amount of, any security received and the disposition of the security.
The repair of damages to the premises, exclusive of ordinary wear and tear, caused by the tenant or by a guest or licensee of the tenant.
City rules rest on state law. Read California's sidewalk statute, quoted verbatim, or see all 50 states in one table.
Common questions
Who pays for security deposit: damage vs wear in Statewide, CA?
Responsibility is shared. Furnish an itemized statement within 21 calendar days of move-out and may deduct only for unpaid rent, cleaning, and damage repair, not ordinary wear and tear.
What is this based on for Statewide, CA?
This verdict is sourced to Civil Code §1950.5(g)(1) (21-day return/itemization deadline) and 2 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- Civil Code §1950.5(g)(1) (21-day return/itemization deadline)statute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-27
- Civil Code §1950.5(b)(2) (damage repair excludes ordinary wear and tear)statute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-13
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