A rental deposit is often paid by a tenant when renting a property; this rental deposit protects the landlord from any financial expenses that may occur if a tenant damages a property or leaves the property in an unsanitary condition. Rental deposits are often used to pay for cleaning, painting, and other property repairs, and the remaining balance is then returned to the tenant. Laws concerning the specific procedures for rental deposit return vary by state, though some general rules do apply. A landlord must usually give a tenant a detailed invoice listing all deductions taken from the rental deposit, and must also list the reasons for the deductions. Any portion of the rental deposit not used by the landlord must then be returned to the tenant within a specified amount of time. Thirty days is the standard time limit for rental deposit return in many states, however the time limit can sometimes be shorter or longer, depending on a number of factors.