This is in Iowa. She said we’d find out about the deposit after a week, we waited and she never got back to us. So recently I called and she told me we’re not getting the deposit back because she had to replace all the carpet in one of the bedrooms. When I asked for an itemized list of what she used our money on she hung up. I believe in Iowa she has to give us written notice that she intends on keeping the deposit and tell us what she spends our money on. She has done neither of these things and the end of this month will be the end of the 30 day period she has to do so (unless I misunderstood). So I think my only option to get the money back is to take her to small claims, but in that situation what are the chances she wins? Even if she DID replace that carpet (I highly doubt it, it was disgusting when we moved in) she never showed us any invoice or any proof that she needed that money to fix up that house. If she did spend the entire deposit fixing up the house but didn’t tell us at all is that legal? Will a judge let her keep the deposit if she shows them an invoice, even though she never showed us?
Also I have pictures of when we moved in and when we moved out so she can’t claim the previous tenant’s damage was our fault. Location: Iowa