[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by milt

Can he keep your deposit?

Well, it's standard procedure to not refund. That's landlords for you. Nowadays, LL's figure the deposit is partial payment for getting the property ready to lease again plus the downtime while getting a new tenant in.
......
In reality, if you rent and are there for a year or more, expect the LL to try to keep the cleaning deposit. Fight it if you wish, it only costs your time.

He's not re-leasing the property. He's moving back in. The day after we were gone, he'd already gone in and tore down all the popcorn ceiling and re-started the remodel that was seemingly abandoned before we'd moved in.

There was no cleaning deposit if I recall.. only a damage deposit. I'll look back though...