Sample Letter to Landlord: Failure to Itemize Security Deposit Deductions or Refund Deposit Within Time Required By Law

[Month XX, 20XX]

[Landlord's Name]
[Landlord's Address]
[City, State ZIP]

Re: Deposit for [Rental Property Address]

Dear [Landlord]:

On [Month XX, 20XX] I vacated [Rental Property Address].  Under the law of [your state] you had [number of] days in which to notify me of any valid deductions from my security deposit and refund all unused funds to me.

That time period has now passed. To date, I have neither received an itemized list of deductions from my deposit nor received a check refunding my security deposit. [Here ask for remedy provided by your state’s law. Examples include, “You can no longer withhold any money from my deposit, so I demand you return the entire deposit in the amount of [dollar amount] within 5 days of the date of this letter.” ). OR “You are now obligated under state law to pay me double the deposit amount. I demand that you pay me [dollar amount] within 5 days of the date of this letter.”]

Should you fail to return my deposit [or pay the penalty provided by law] within 5 days of the date of this letter, I will be forced to take the matter to small claims court.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]