While renters and landlords often times fight about almost everything, the single biggest issue of contention is money. Everything from raising the rent too much for a new lease to keeping a deposit that they shouldn’t, landlords and renters fight about money more than any other issue. What can you do to protect yourself if you’re having a money dispute with your landlord? The key is education. You can start by learning the laws in your state. Laws pertaining to landlord-renter issues can vary GREATLY from state to state, so just because you know how things work back home doesn’t mean that any of that applies where you are now. Some states have separate courts that use arbitrators to settle landlord-renters disputes. In this case, you’ll need as much evidence as possible that you are on the right side of your money dispute. If you’re expecting your deposit back and you don’t get it, take pictures and bring witnesses that show that damage to your apartment was there before you lived there. There are also very specific rules on how much rent can be raised at a time, so if your landlord is trying to jack up what you pay, a simple knowledge of the current law can be enough to win that argument with ease.