Landlord Is Refusing To Return My Security Deposit And Claiming Damages That Existed Before I Moved In.

Location: Georgia

I rented an apartment for 14 months and moved out about three weeks ago. Before I moved in I did a walkthrough with the property manager and filled out a move-in checklist where I noted several existing issues, a scuff along the hallway wall, a crack in the bathroom tile near the floor, and a kitchen cabinet door that didn't close properly. The property manager signed off on the checklist and I kept a copy. I also took photos and a short video walkthrough on my move-in day which are timestamped.

I gave 30 days notice, cleaned the apartment thoroughly, and did my own walkthrough before handing the keys back. The property manager did not offer to do a joint move-out inspection despite me asking twice by text. I have those texts saved.

Yesterday I received a letter stating they are keeping my full deposit of $1,400 and itemizing deductions that include repairing the bathroom tile crack, repainting the hallway wall, and fixing the cabinet door. All three of these are things I documented as pre-existing on my move-in checklist. There is also a charge for professional cleaning despite the fact that I have photos of the apartment taken the morning I returned the keys showing it was clean.

My question is whether the signed move-in checklist and my timestamped photos are sufficient to dispute these deductions, and what the process looks like for recovering the deposit in Georgia. I know Georgia has a 30 day rule for landlords to return deposits and they technically met that deadline, they just sent a deduction letter insted of the actual money. Do I send a demand letter first or go straight to small claims?