Small landlords & PMs hub · By James Grokman, CEO, TapeAndFloat · Published October 25, 2026 · Updated October 25, 2026

How small landlords track security deposits and move-out deductions

A security deposit log is one row per tenant showing the amount held, move-in condition photos, the move-out date, the forwarding address and the refund deadline. Small landlords get into trouble when the deadline passes or deductions are not itemized: in Texas the deposit or an itemized list is due within 30 days after the tenant surrenders the unit, and a landlord who misses it is presumed to have acted in bad faith.

Not legal advice. General information for small-office staff, current as of October 25, 2026. Texas statutes are cited as examples; your state and your contracts control the details.

Free download: Security deposit & move-out deductions tracker (Excel). One row per tenant; enter the move-out date and it sets the refund deadline (Texas default 30 days, editable), works out the refund, and flags anything past due, due within 7 days, missing a forwarding address, or with deductions that have no invoice or quote. No email required.

1. Start the row at move-in

Record the tenant, unit, deposit amount, date received and where it is held. Attach the signed move-in condition form and dated photos of every room. Without a move-in record, it is hard to show later that damage is more than normal wear and tear.

2. Get a forwarding address in writing at move-out

Ask for it in the move-out notice reply and again at the key handoff. In Texas a landlord does not have to refund or itemize until the tenant gives a written forwarding address (Tex. Prop. Code 92.107), but the deadline clock and the paperwork are easier to defend when you asked early and noted the date.

3. Put the refund deadline on the calendar the day they surrender the unit

Texas: on or before the 30th day after the tenant surrenders the premises (92.103). Other states use different deadlines, so check yours and write the actual date in the row, not just "30 days". Rules vary by state; this is general information, not legal advice.

4. Itemize every deduction with proof

Do the move-out walk-through with the move-in photos open. For each deduction list what it is for, the amount, and the invoice or quote behind it. Texas does not allow deductions for normal wear and tear (92.104), and a landlord who in bad faith keeps a deposit can owe $100 plus three times the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney's fees (92.109).

5. Send the refund and the list, then close the row

Move-out date passed, no forwarding address on file: ask for it in writing.
Deadline in 7 days, no walk-through done: schedule it.
Deduction with no invoice or quote attached: get one before sending.
Refund and itemized list sent: note the date and how it was sent.

Turnover work often feeds the deductions; see the unit turnover checklist.

If damage or another lease issue came up during the tenancy, the dated record of what was observed and what was sent belongs in a lease violation and notice log, linked from the deposit row.

Where an assistant helps

Move-out notices, forwarding addresses and repair invoices arrive by email and text. TapeAndFloat reads what you forward, updates each tenant's deposit row in your own Google Sheet, and flags upcoming refund deadlines and deductions missing an invoice.

Free 60-day pilot: forward your job emails to the assistant, keep working in your own Sheet, and we flag what is slipping. During the pilot we set it up one piece at a time and a real person reviews everything. No new app, no card. Request a pilot spot.

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Frequently asked questions

How long does a Texas landlord have to return a security deposit?

On or before the 30th day after the tenant surrenders the premises (Tex. Prop. Code 92.103), once the tenant has given a written forwarding address (92.107).

Can a landlord deduct for normal wear and tear?

Not in Texas (Tex. Prop. Code 92.104). Deductions must be for damages and charges the tenant is legally responsible for under the lease.

What happens if the deposit is kept in bad faith?

In Texas the landlord can owe $100, three times the amount wrongfully withheld, and the tenant's reasonable attorney's fees (92.109). Missing the 30-day deadline creates a presumption of bad faith.

Do I need property management software to track deposits?

No. A spreadsheet with one row per tenant works if someone keeps it current; keeping it current is what TapeAndFloat automates.

Free tools

Maintenance request & work order tracker (Excel): sets due dates by urgency and flags open work orders past due, emergencies with no vendor and invoices over the limit.
Lease violation and notice log (Excel): a Log sheet (one row per issue: date observed, property / unit, tenant, issue type, lease clause, what happened in plain facts, evidence / photos link, notice sent, date sent, delivery method, copy saved link, tenant response, follow-up date, resolved date, who handled), a Units sheet with the current tenant and a signed lease link, and Settings with example follow-up and open-too-long days; flags no evidence link, notices sent with no copy saved or no date or delivery method, no follow-up date, follow-ups overdue, open too long, nobody handling and units not on your list. Record-keeping only: your lease and local/state law set what notice is required and how it must be delivered; general information, not legal advice.
Utility transfer checklist / log (Excel): a Transfers sheet (one row per unit, per utility, per move-in, move-out or vacant period: provider, account #, who holds the account after, transfer or stop requested, confirmed and proof, meter reading with date and photo link, final bill date and amount, bill-back amount, sent and paid dates), a Units sheet with which utilities the tenant and owner pay per the lease, and Settings with example reminder, final-bill and follow-up days; flags transfers not requested before a move, no confirmation, missing readings or photos, final bills not in, bill-backs not sent or not paid and units not on your list. Your lease and local/state law set who pays and what can be billed back; general information, not legal advice.
After-hours maintenance request triage log (Excel): a Requests sheet (one row per request: received date and time, property / unit, caller, call-back number, issue category, what they said, safety message given, urgency chosen by a person (Emergency now / Next business day / Routine), who decided, vendor called, called-back time, scheduled for, resolved date, photos link), a Units sheet and Settings with an example category list and example call-back targets set by your own policy; flags no urgency set, emergencies with no call-back logged, call-backs later than your target, next-business-day requests not scheduled by the next workday, no vendor, open too long and units not on your list. Gas smell, fire or smoke: tell the caller to get out and call 911 first. General information, not legal advice.
Property obligations calendar (Excel): an Obligations sheet (one row per property per obligation: insurance renewal, property tax, HOA dues, registration or permit, loan escrow check; payee, policy or account #, due date, amount, who pays, escrow confirmed, reminder days, date paid, proof of payment link, renewal quote requested), a Properties sheet and editable example reminder days; flags bills past due and not paid, due soon, no due date, no amount, no proof of payment, escrow not confirmed, policies expiring with no renewal quote and unknown properties. Your county tax office, HOA and insurer set the real dates; general information, not tax, legal or insurance advice.
Move-in / move-out inspection log (Excel): an Inspections sheet (one row per unit per inspection: due date, date done, who, tenant present and signed, photos link, photos dated, damage noted, estimated cost, invoice link, forwarding address, status, deposit deadline from your own setting) and a room-by-room Room Checklist with move-in and move-out condition side by side; flags inspections not done on time, move-outs with no move-in inspection on file, missing photos or signatures, damage with no cost, costs with no invoice and deposit deadlines coming up. General information, not legal advice.
W-9 & 1099 vendor payment tracker for landlords (Excel): a Payees sheet for plumbers, HVAC, cleaners, handymen, attorneys and other vendors (entity type, W-9 received date, mailing address; never the full tax ID) and a Payments sheet (date, vendor, amount, method, property / unit), with a total per vendor for the tax year and flags for paid with no W-9 on file, W-9 after the first payment, over the reporting threshold (editable; $2,000 for 2026 payments per irs.gov), corporations to confirm, attorneys, missing address, card/app payments and payments to someone not on the list. Whether your rental must file 1099s: ask your tax preparer. General information, not tax advice.
Rental inquiry & showing log (Excel): one row per prospect (date received, source, property and unit, move-in date asked, first reply, showing date, next step and date, status, last contact), with flags for no reply yet, showings passed with no status update, shown with no follow-up, overdue next steps and stale inquiries; thresholds on a Settings sheet.
Rent roll & late fee tracker (Excel): one row per unit per month; shows each balance, the earliest day a late fee can apply and the Texas late-fee limit by building size, and flags rent past due, fees over the limit, charged too early or without written-lease notice, cash with no receipt, missed promises to pay and balances with no reminder sent.
Lease expiration & renewal tracker (Excel): one row per lease; enter the end date and the notice days from the lease and it works back to the notice deadline, your decide-by date and a reminder, and flags leases to decide on now, notice deadlines passed with nothing sent, leases past their end date, unanswered offers and renewals accepted but not signed.
Owner statement template (Excel): properties and owners, income and expenses logged once, and one statement row per property per month with rent collected, other income, expenses, management fee (editable %), reserve held and net due to the owner; flags expenses missing a receipt, uncategorized expenses, unknown properties and negative balances.
Preventive maintenance calendar (Excel): one row per recurring task per property with interval in months, last done, next due and days left; flags overdue and due-soon tasks, rows with no interval or date, no one assigned and unknown properties; Task Ideas sheet with example intervals and the Texas smoke alarm note (Prop. Code 92.255, 92.258).
Security deposit & move-out deductions tracker (Excel): sets each refund deadline from the move-out date (Texas default 30 days, editable) and flags deposits past due, due within 7 days, missing a forwarding address or with deductions lacking an invoice.
What the assistant catches: the list of things it watches for in your inbox and Sheet.
Vendor paperwork tracker (Excel): flags missing W-9s and COIs and vendor COIs expiring within 30 days.
Compare: spreadsheet vs software: how a Sheet plus an assistant stacks up against contractor software.

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