Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

Check your lease to see if there is a provision regarding a move-out fee. I doubt it's there, but it's better to check. Ordinarily, under California law, 21 calendar days or less after you move, your landlord must either:

1. Send you a full refund of your security deposit, or

2. Mail or personally deliver to you an itemized statement that lists the amounts of any deductions from your security deposit and the reasons for the deductions, together with a refund of any amounts not deducted.

You can see a complete article on refunds of security deposits on the California Dept. of Consumer Affairs. http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/sec-deposit.shtml