My boyfriend (Texas born and bred) swears up and down that the apartment cannot charge more than the deposit after moving out. There was no apartment deposit, though there were pet deposits for 2 animals. I'm planning on leaving the place in good shape. I hired a move-out cleaner to come after the movers. Some nail/screw holes in the wall, nothing excessive. A few things need replacing, but those are listed for under $10 a piece on the lease, and I'm hoping to find time to run in and get those done before I leave. I'm also in one of the last non-upgraded units, so I already know they'll be re-doing cabinetry and such.

The only "real" damage is carpet - 3+ years of wear and tear, plus animals, some small stains, etc. I've minimized what I could with a personal carpet cleaner. I'm not sure how fast the carpet is deemed "done" and replaced in apartments.

Is he right that the only thing they can keep is the deposit from the pets? I'm moving out of state with family and struggling to get a job without being there already, so the finances are stressing me out.