Your rights by state

The laws that apply to move-out charges in the eight states where Centurion Property Group owns student housing. Open your state below.

How to read the marks ✔ means we read it from the statute text on October 11, 2026.
⚠ verify means it comes from a secondary source. Check the statute itself before you put it in a filing.
This is a summary by parents and residents, not legal advice.

Two things to know first:

Deposit laws only help if a deposit was held. If you paid no deposit, your tools are the consumer-protection and debt-collection laws. If you did pay one, the deposit law is often the strongest tool, because the penalties are automatic multiples.
Some collection laws also cover the landlord, not just the collection agency: Texas, Florida and West Virginia, and Michigan for creditors collecting their own debts.

Federal law applies in every state: the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. §1692 and following) covers collection agencies, and the Fair Credit Reporting Act covers screening and credit reports.

Texas (Texas Tech, Texas State)

Security deposit: Tex. Prop. Code §92.103–§92.109: return the deposit or itemize deductions within 30 days. No charge for normal wear and tear (§92.104). Bad-faith retention: $100 + 3 times the amount wrongfully withheld + attorney's fees (§92.109). ✔ read from the statute text
Consumer protection: Deceptive Trade Practices Act, Tex. Bus. & Com. Code §17.50: economic damages; up to 3 times for knowing conduct; mandatory attorney's fees; 60-day written notice before suit (§17.505). ✔ read from the statute text
Debt collection: Texas Debt Collection Act, Tex. Fin. Code ch. 392: covers creditors and collectors. Actual damages, injunction, attorney's fees; at least $100 per violation of §392.101, §392.202 or §392.301(a)(3) (§392.403(e)); a violation is also a DTPA violation (§392.404); misdemeanor, $100–$500 (§392.402). ✔ read from the statute text
Fact patterns residents describe, and the law they would raise (our reading): A holdover fee that conflicts with the property's own move-out record: misrepresenting the amount of a debt (§392.304(a)(8)). Charges for cleaning that was not done: DTPA §17.46(b)(5), (7), (24). Charging for wear and tear from a deposit: §92.104.
Small claims: Justice Court; limit $20,000 (verify current cap). After a judgment, an abstract of judgment recorded with the county clerk is a lien on the defendant's real property in that county, generally for 10 years (Tex. Prop. Code §52.001–§52.004). ⚠ verify

Iowa (Iowa State: The Point at Ames)

Security deposit: Iowa Code §562A.12: return or itemize within 30 days ⚠ verify. Wear and tear excepted. Bad-faith retention: actual damages + punitive damages up to 2 times the monthly rent; attorney's fees to the prevailing party. ✔ read from the statute text
Consumer protection: Iowa Code chapter 714H (private consumer remedy): actual damages + attorney's fees. ✔ read from the statute text Up to 3 times damages for willful violations. ⚠ verify
Debt collection: Iowa Consumer Credit Code §537.7103 (debt collection practices), remedies in §537.5201: actual damages + $100–$1,000 statutory damages per violation + fees. ✔ read from the statute text Whether a landlord collecting its own balance is a "debt collector" under §537.7102: ⚠ verify
Fact patterns residents describe, and the law they would raise (our reading): Large move-out bills, and no walk-through despite a lease promise: the deposit law (if a deposit was held) and chapter 714H. Pressure from a collector: §537.7103.
Small claims: Iowa District Court, small claims; limit $6,500 (verify current cap).

Mississippi (Mississippi State: The Grand at Starkville)

Security deposit: Miss. Code §89-8-21: return within 45 days with an itemized written notice. The landlord may keep rent, tenant-caused damage (not wear and tear), and move-out cleaning. Retention without good faith: actual damages + up to $200. ✔ read from the statute text
Consumer protection: Consumer Protection Act, Miss. Code §75-24-15: actual damages only; you must first try an informal dispute program approved by the Attorney General; no class actions; attorney's fees only against frivolous plaintiffs. ✔ read from the statute text The weakest of the eight states.
Debt collection: No state collection law with a private remedy. Federal law (FDCPA) covers collection agencies.
Fact patterns residents describe, and the law they would raise (our reading): With weak state law, the main routes are the FDCPA (against a collector) and a complaint to the Attorney General, who enforces the Act (§75-24-9).
Small claims: Justice Court; limit $3,500 (verify current cap).

Florida (University of Florida: The Canopy at Gainesville)

Security deposit: Fla. Stat. §83.49(3): if no claim, the deposit comes back within 15 days. A claim must be sent within 30 days, by certified mail, in the form the statute sets out. The tenant has 15 days to object. A late or defective notice forfeits the claim. Prevailing-party attorney's fees. ✔ read from the statute text
Consumer protection: FDUTPA, Fla. Stat. §501.211: actual damages + attorney's fees + costs; declaratory and injunctive relief for anyone harmed. Leases are covered. ✔ read from the statute text
Debt collection: Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act, §559.72 and §559.77: applies to original creditors. Actual damages + statutory damages up to $1,000 + punitive damages + attorney's fees; 2-year time limit. ✔ read from the statute text
Fact patterns residents describe, and the law they would raise (our reading): Cleaning fees for light smudges, or a key fee higher than the one stated: asserting a debt that is not legitimate (§559.72(9)) and FDUTPA.
Small claims: County Court, small claims; limit $8,000 (verify current cap).

Michigan (Michigan State: The Rocks at East Lansing)

Security deposit: MCL 554.609: an itemized list of damages mailed within 30 days, with the estimated cost of each repair, and a notice in bold that the tenant has 7 days to respond. The landlord cannot claim items listed on the move-in inventory checklist. ✔ read from the statute text MCL 554.613: the landlord must sue within 45 days or return the deposit; not complying waives all claimed damages and makes the landlord liable for 2 times the deposit. ✔ read from the statute text
Consumer protection: Michigan Consumer Protection Act, MCL 445.911: actual damages or $250, whichever is greater, + attorney's fees; class actions allowed. ✔ read from the statute text Whether residential leases are covered: ⚠ verify
Debt collection: Regulation of Collection Practices Act, MCL 445.251–445.257: covers creditors collecting their own debts ("regulated persons"). Actual damages or $50; willful violations: a civil fine of at least 3 times actual damages or $150; mandatory attorney's fees for willful violations. ✔ read from the statute text
Fact patterns residents describe, and the law they would raise (our reading): A bill for carpet damage that was already documented at the move-in check-in: MCL 554.609 bars claiming items on the move-in checklist.
Small claims: District Court, small claims division; limit $7,000 (verify current cap).

Missouri (University of Missouri: The Grayson, The Grindstone)

Security deposit: RSMo 535.300: return or itemize within 30 days. The landlord may keep only rent, the cost of restoring damage beyond wear and tear, and losses from a failure to give notice. Wrongful withholding: 2 times the amount wrongfully withheld. ✔ read from the statute text
Consumer protection: Merchandising Practices Act, RSMo 407.025: actual damages, punitive damages at the court's discretion, attorney's fees, class actions. Since 2020, a consumer must show a reasonable consumer would have been misled and an objective loss. ✔ read from the statute text Whether residential leases are covered: ⚠ verify
Debt collection: No separate state collection law with a private remedy. FDCPA (collectors) and the Merchandising Practices Act.
Fact patterns residents describe, and the law they would raise (our reading): No walk-through followed by a long list of damages, a collection call months later, or a co-signer agreement the resident says they never signed: RSMo 535.300 and the Merchandising Practices Act.
Small claims: Circuit Court, associate division (small claims); limit $5,000 (verify current cap).

West Virginia (West Virginia University: The View at Morgantown)

Security deposit: W. Va. Code §37-6A-1 and following: return or itemize within 60 days of termination, or 45 days after a new tenant moves in, whichever is shorter. ⚠ verify Fifteen more days if a contractor is needed. ✔ read from the statute text Willful or bad-faith noncompliance: the unreturned deposit + 1.5 times the amount wrongfully withheld (§37-6A-5). ✔ read from the statute text
Consumer protection: Consumer Credit and Protection Act, §46A-6-106: actual damages or $200 + attorney's fees. ⚠ verify
Debt collection: §46A-2-122 to §46A-2-128, which apply to creditors and collectors, with remedies in §46A-5-101: actual damages + $1,000 per violation (capped at the greater of $175,000 or the debt). The strongest per-violation penalty of the eight states. 4-year time limit. ✔ read from the statute text
Fact patterns residents describe, and the law they would raise (our reading): Hidden fees: unfair practices under §46A-6-102. A collection call or letter on an inflated balance: false representation of the amount of a claim (§46A-2-127).
Small claims: Magistrate Court; limit $10,000 (verify current cap).

Georgia (Georgia Southern: One Eleven South)

Security deposit: O.C.G.A. §44-7-33, §44-7-34 and §44-7-35: move-in and move-out inspection lists are required. Return or itemize within 30 days. ⚠ verify Without the lists, the landlord loses the right to withhold or to sue for damages. Wrongful withholding: 3 times the sum withheld + attorney's fees, unless the landlord proves a bona fide error. ✔ read from the statute text
Consumer protection: Fair Business Practices Act, O.C.G.A. §10-1-399: actual damages; 3 times damages for intentional violations; attorney's fees; a 30-day written demand comes first. ✔ read from the statute text Whether it applies to residential leases is contested. ⚠ verify
Debt collection: No separate state collection law with a private remedy. Federal law (FDCPA) covers collection agencies.
Fact patterns residents describe, and the law they would raise (our reading): Random or hidden fees: the Fair Business Practices Act. A deposit kept without the inspection lists: §44-7-35, 3 times the amount.
Small claims: Magistrate Court; limit $15,000 (verify current cap).

What this means

Where the penalties are strongest: Georgia (3 times), Texas (3 times + $100), Missouri (2 times), Michigan (2 times the deposit, plus waiver of the landlord's claim), West Virginia ($1,000 per collection violation), Florida ($1,000 statutory damages against a creditor, and the landlord loses its claim if the deposit notice is late or defective). Mississippi is the outlier: $200, and no class actions.
Inspection lists matter. Michigan and Georgia require move-in and move-out inspection lists. If a property skips them, the deposit law gives automatic multiples. This is a rule to check, not a judgment call.
Three facts decide which law applies to you: whether a deposit was held (and how much), when and how you got the landlord's notice, and whether you got inspection lists. Write those down.
Verify before citing: every item marked ⚠ verify. Sources we read: Missouri Revisor (535.300, 407.025); Florida Legislature (83.49, 559.77, 501.211); FindLaw (Georgia 44-7-35, 10-1-399; Mississippi 89-8-21, 75-24-15; Michigan 554.609, 445.257, 445.911; West Virginia 37-6A-2, 37-6A-5, 46A-5-101); Iowa Legislature (562A.12 via Justia, 537.5201).

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