Montana Code 70-25-201. Security deposit — deductions authorized therefrom
70-25-201. Security deposit — deductions authorized therefrom. (1) A landlord renting property covered by this chapter may deduct from the security deposit a sum equal to the damage alleged to have been caused by the tenant, together with a sum equal to the unpaid rent, late charges, utilities, penalties due under lease provisions, and other money owing to the landlord at the time of deduction, including rent owed under 70-24-441(3), and a sum for actual cleaning expenses, including a reasonable charge for the landlord’s labor.
Terms Used In Montana Code 70-25-201
- Cleaning expenses: means the actual and necessary cost of cleaning done by an owner or the owner's selected representative for cleaning needs not attributable to normal wear brought about by the tenant's failure to bring the premises to the condition it was at the time of renting. See Montana Code 70-25-101
- Damage: means any and all tangible loss, injury, or deterioration of a leasehold premises caused by the willful or accidental acts of the tenant occupying the leasehold premises or by the tenant's family, licensees, or invitees, as well as any and all tangible loss, injury, or deterioration resulting from the tenant's omissions or failure to perform any duty imposed upon the tenant by law with respect to the leasehold. See Montana Code 70-25-101
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
- Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- Property: means real and personal property. See Montana Code 1-1-205
- Security deposit: means value given, in money or its equivalent, to secure the payment of rent by the tenant under a leasehold agreement or to secure payment for damage to and cleaning of the leasehold premises. See Montana Code 70-25-101
(2)At the request of either party, the premises may be inspected within 1 week prior to termination of the tenancy.
(3)Cleaning charges may not be imposed for normal maintenance performed on a cyclical basis by the landlord as noted by the landlord at the time that the tenant occupies the space unless the landlord is forced to perform this maintenance because of negligence of the tenant. Additionally, cleaning charges may not be deducted until written notice has been given to the tenant. The notice must include the cleaning not accomplished by the tenant and the additional and type or types of cleaning that need to be done by the tenant to bring the premises back to its condition at the time of its renting. After the delivery of the notice, the tenant has 24 hours to complete the required cleaning, unless the rental agreement is already terminated pursuant to 70-24-427 or 70-33-427 and the landlord has a pending claim for actual damages filed in court. If notice is mailed by certified mail, service of the notice is considered to have been made 3 days after the date of the mailing. A tenant who fails to notify the landlord of the intent to vacate or who vacates the premises without notice relieves the landlord of the requirement of giving notice and allows the landlord to deduct the cleaning charges from the deposit, or the landlord may leave a copy of the notice in a conspicuous location in the rental unit and notify the tenant by e-mail, phone, or text, and notice is considered delivered.
(4)A person may not deduct or withhold from the security deposit any amount for purposes other than those set forth in this section.