1. Give Landlord "proper" notice.
On a month-to-month, Tenant must give the Landlord at least 28 days written notice of when Tenant plans to move out. The 28- day count starts when the Landlord receives the letter, not when it is mailed. To be safe, Tenant may want to give more than 28 days notice. If Tenant has given oral notice, legally it doesn't count. Tenant must give written notice, and start over with the full 28-day notice. Remember to keep copies of this notice with dates included.
2. Keep copies of important items.
Keep all receipts of security deposit payment and/or canceled security deposit check.
3. Create a Check-Out List
Sometimes Landlords have Tenants fill out a Check-In and/or Check-Out inspection list to compare the conditions of the rental before and after the Tenant's stay in the unit. Often times, the Landlord will fill out a Check-Out inspection list after the Tenant has gone, and will charge the Tenant for damages that are either not there or that were not caused by the Tenant. To avoid this, the Tenant can ask the Landlord in writing to do a Check-Out inspection with him/her there and to have it signed by both Landlord and Tenant.
Another idea is at the inspection, Tenant should write down all the things the Landlord says s/he will charge the Tenant for. Write a statement above the list that says "The following are the only damages I claim the tenant has caused." Have the landlord sign and date the form. You do not sign it. It is a statement of your landlord and not an agreement. By doing this, it limits the charges that the Landlord says the Tenant owers. For example, if the Landlord later claims that the Tenant owes money for additional damages; Tenant can dispute these claims with proof. Remember to keep a copy of this list.
If the Tenant suspects that the Landlord will not return the deposit or sign a Check-Out List with the Tenant's presence, the Tenant may create a Check-Out list and sign it with a witness.
Check-In Lists: If the Tenant and Landlord did not do a Check-In inspection, it will be up to the Landlord to prove that any damages to the unit were caused by the Tenant.
4. Report all damages in writing to the Landlord
Remember to keep copies of the letters.
5. Fix all Tenant-Caused damages and clean property thoroughly
Remember to fix holes caused by wall-hangings and to clean behind appliances. Tenant must keep receipts of any cleaning supplies bought and used to clean the unit. If Tenant suspects Landlord will not give back the Security Deposit, Tenant should take dated photographs of the unit after cleaning it.
6. Return all keys
7. Give the Landlord a forwarding address
If Tenant does not leave a forwarding address for the Landlord to return the deposit, s/he may not be required to return it. Be aware however, that the landlord could use this address to serve the Tenant with court papers if s/he sues.