It used to be that, when you moved in or out, you had no way of disproving the all-too-common lies told by your landlady. They'd say the apartment was "new" when you moved in, and "ruined" when you moved out, and there was nothing you could do to prove your point. Not true any more, welcome to the digital age.When you move in, you'll get a checklist. Go through it, and be more than diligent. Turn on all the spigots, look under the sinks, open every door and check every inch of everything for stains, damage and any defect. Write it down, but do one step better.
Use your digital camera (or cell phone, if you must) to take pictures of every flaw. Missing knobs, stains, wear, tear, bent mini-blinds, filth and absolutely everything else you can find. Print them, save them, and always keep them handy.
When you move out, it's too likely the landlord will lie, or not meet you for your final walk-through. Take a second round of pictures to prove there's no filth or damage left behind. There is no court that will believe the landlord when you've got the proof, and once they're caught in this lie, the rest of the fees will be thrown out too.
I used this method myself against an unscrupulous landlady. She said dirt and damage, I showed pictures, and every last penny of fee was absolved. She'd robbed dozens before me, but not me.
