In Massachusetts, a landlord can deduct for the following:
Unpaid rent
Unpaid utility bills
But if you were charged for water without being properly submetered, the charge could be impermissible! Consult with an attorney.
Charges for damage excluding reasonable wear and tear
Key and lock replacement
But a landlord has to charge the actual cost of re-keying; they cannot just tack on an additional standard fee
The landlord must send you:
An itemized statement (with invoices or estimates of the cost of the damage)
Signed under the penalty of perjury
Within 30 days of the termination of the tenancy
Failure to do so will result in the landlord forfeiting the right to deduct anything from your security deposit, and potentially entitling you to treble damages and attorney's fees if they fail to return it.
Generally, no. You're required to leave your apartment in broom-clean condition, but that does not mean you have to pay for a professional cleaning. These charges are generally assessed on a case-by-case basis, but assuming you didn't totally trash the place, it is likely impermissible.
Again, generally not. There's no bright line rule, but generally painting and spackling walls is considered reasonable wear and tear. See Goes v. Feldman, 8 Mass. App. Ct. 84 (1979).
Assuming the holes are not like, giant craters made from playing mini-golf in your apartment, normal holes from hanging up stuff are generally considered reasonable wear and tear and cannot be charged.
Did you take photos and videos of the place when you moved in? Did you note the conditions in an apartment condition statement? Did the landlord fail to submit itemized receipts in a statement signed under the penalty of perjury? You might be able to contest the charges.
This is generally also impermissible. For example, if your dishwasher went kaput while you were living in the apartment, the landlord cannot deduct the charge of a new dishwasher out of your security deposit now that you've gone. That's just the cost of doing business—you pay rent to live in a place where someone maintains it, and the landlord . . . has to maintain it.
If the landlord failed to comply with their obligations under the security deposit law, they forfeit the right to deduct anything from the security deposit. This does not mean you aren't liable for actual damage that you caused to the unit—it just means they have to return the security deposit on demand, and pursue you separately for those charges.
At the Law Office of Lin Wang, we can assist you with getting your security deposit back. Fill out this form for a free consult.