My landlord never had a signed lease agreement from me.?
So neither of you thought it was important to have a written lease. I suppose neither of you had a check in list or photos of what it looked like when you took occupancy compared to what it looks like now. Shame on both of you. This means that your lease defaults to whatever state law is instead of an agreement between the two of you. Neither of you has any solid evidence of the condition at the start of occupancy. Tenants are required to return the unit in substantially the same condition as they received it save for normal wear and tear. The landlord holds the security deposit. If you feel that they are holding it unjustly then your only recourse is a legal action. The problem you are going to have is evidence. Good luck and I hope you take it as a learning experience. I would not want to even rent a shed for a weekend without a written agreement.