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Letter asking for your deposit back

A clear, polite letter asking your landlord to return your deposit with an itemized statement of anything kept, with a New York version built in.

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Template is informational. Review it, and get legal advice if you need it.

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Give at least the time the local law allows the landlord.
Adds the New York 14-day rule to the letter.

When to send it

Send this letter after you have moved out and returned the keys, or soon after a deadline has passed without your deposit or a statement. It gives the landlord your forwarding address, asks for an itemized statement of anything they keep, and sets a date to reply by.

  1. 1

    Gather your evidence

    The lease, the deposit receipt, your move-in report and photos, and photos from the day you left.
  2. 2

    Fill in the letter

    Tick the New York box if the home is in New York State to add the 14-day rule.
  3. 3

    Send it so you can prove it

    Email plus a printed copy by tracked or certified post is the safest combination. Keep copies.
  4. 4

    If there is no answer

    Follow the dispute route where the home is: a deposit scheme in England, Small Claims Court or the Attorney General in New York, or the Rent Control Department in Ghana.

In New York, check what you are owed (including any interest) with the security deposit calculator, and read how to get your security deposit back.

Local rules we checked

Rules change and local laws can add more. Follow the source link before you rely on one.

  • New York

    The landlord must return the deposit, with an itemized statement of any amount kept, within 14 days after you move out. A landlord who misses the deadline forfeits any right to keep any part of it.

    Source
  • England

    Once you and the landlord agree how much you’ll get back, the deposit must be returned within 10 days. If you disagree, the deposit stays protected in the scheme until the dispute is sorted out.

    Source
Fact-checked October 24, 2026

Generalises the New York demand letter in Roofy’s security deposit calculator. The NY paragraph quotes GOL §7-108(1-a)(e), re-checked today.

Sources

  1. General Obligations Law § 7-108: Security deposits (residential) · New York State Senate (accessed October 24, 2026)
  2. Tenancy deposit protection · GOV.UK (accessed October 24, 2026)

General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency or a professional before you act.