Security deposits for Ann Arbor sublets: what to know

For a sublet, a deposit of around one month's rent is typical, though plenty of summer sublets ask for less or none — especially room sublets in a place the original tenant is still on the lease for. Under Michigan law, a residential security deposit generally can't exceed one and a half months' rent.

Michigan's security deposit rules are specific. A landlord must return the deposit, or send an itemized list of damages, within 30 days of the lease ending. In a sublet, the person holding your deposit takes on that obligation, so it matters who you're paying. Get the deposit terms in writing up front: amount, what it covers, and when it comes back.

The single best thing you can do is document the place the day you move in. Photos and a quick video, timestamped, of every room and any existing damage. Do the same when you leave. That evidence turns a he-said-she-said deposit dispute into a non-event.

When a listing on Wroomly includes a deposit, it's collected through Stripe at booking alongside first month's rent, so there's a clear record of exactly what was paid and when. That paper trail is half the battle when it's time to get your deposit back.