When landlords collect security deposits from their tenants, they can use that deposit to cover a variety of expenses. These expenses include things like covering unpaid utilities upon move-out, covering excessive cleaning costs, covering excessive property damage, covering lost rental income, and covering losses in rent payments. Essentially, a security deposit is meant to protect you against potential tenant actions that may result in any financial losses on your part. As a landlord in Pennsylvania, you have a right to collect a security dep…