California security deposit demand letter
Ask for your deposit with the California law behind your request. Download the free PDF or Word template, or fill in your dates and figures below.
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Before sending in California
Ask for the records behind the deduction
Compare the itemized statement with the 21-day return period and the records supplied for repairs or cleaning. A timely statement does not by itself show that each charge is justified.
What records should support deductions?
Repair and cleaning documentation is subject to Civil Code 1950.5(h)(2)-(5). The $125 exception concerns aggregate repair and cleaning deductions, not each charge. Written waivers, good-faith estimates and later tenant requests have separate rules.
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Choose your situation, then add your figures. No account or payment. Unfilled details stay in brackets for you to edit.
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[Your name] [Your current mailing address] [Date] [Landlord or property manager name] [Address designated for notices] SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED RE: Request for return of security deposit - [rental property address] Dear [Landlord]: I vacated the property on [move-out date] and paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount]. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5: 21 days after move-out to return the deposit or send an itemized statement. REQUEST Please return $[amount requested] of my deposit to the mailing address above. Please explain any deductions you maintain and provide the itemized statement and supporting records required by the applicable law. If the statutory conditions are met, under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(m), bad-faith retention of a deposit exposes you to statutory damages of up to twice the deposit, in addition to actual damages. Please respond by [response date after any required notice or cure period]. This requested date does not shorten any applicable statutory notice or cure period. If this remains unresolved after the applicable requirements are satisfied, I intend to pursue the remedies available in small claims court. Sincerely, [Your signature] Enclosures: [List the records you are actually attaching.]
Review your dates and the records behind each charge before signing. The free analysis can help you assess disputed deductions and possible additional recovery.
From a blank request to a documented demand
See what your case documents add.
The free editor fills in your facts. The analysis reviews your charges and applicable rules; your paid case documents bring together the letter, damages summary and organized evidence checklist.
One charge, made specific.
California example: repainting ordinary wall scuffs, $1,000. The example assumes the tenancy is covered by the cited law; no tenant result is implied.
A starting request
I disagree with the $1,000 charge for repainting ordinary wall scuffs. Please return that amount.
The free editor lets you add your own reasons and records.
In the generated letter
Ordinary wear and tear - not deductible. Repainting after a tenancy is ordinary wear and tear unless the walls were damaged beyond normal use (large holes, unauthorized colors). Dated move-in and move-out photos help distinguish ordinary wear from tenant-caused damage.
Records to attach: move-in photos and move-out photos.
State-law reference: Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 ↗The amount stays tied to the facts: $1,900 withheld - $400 in accepted charges = $1,500 disputed in this sample.
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Open PDF to zoom ↗Sample California case. Letter and exhibit pages extracted from a generated case PDF. Your letter uses your own facts and state law.
Read the complete California sample letter
Fictional California case. Generated sample, not a court outcome or a substitute for your own letter.
Maya Patel (fictional tenant)
[Fictional current mailing address]
September 07, 2026
Daniel Reed (fictional landlord)
[Fictional landlord mailing address]
SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
RE: Demand for return of security deposit - [Fictional California rental address]
Dear Daniel Reed (fictional landlord):
I vacated the above rental property on August 01, 2026 and paid a security deposit of $2,000.00. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 (California Security Deposit Law), the applicable return rule is: 21 days after move-out to return the deposit or send an itemized statement.
DISPUTED DEDUCTIONS
I dispute the following deductions under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 for the reasons below. Please provide the records supporting each disputed charge, including the work, cost, and condition at issue. For replacement charges, explain the item's age and how you calculated the amount charged:
• Repainting ordinary wall scuffs - $1,000.00
Ordinary wear and tear - not deductible. Repainting after a tenancy is ordinary wear and tear unless the walls were damaged beyond normal use (large holes, unauthorized colors). Dated move-in and move-out photos help distinguish ordinary wear from tenant-caused damage.
• General cleaning fee - $500.00
Unsubstantiated - proof demanded. Cleaning may be deductible to restore move-in cleanliness, subject to the state's documentation rules. Request an itemized explanation of the work and supporting records.
I do not contest the following deductions, totaling $400.00: Unpaid rent balance ($400.00).
This demand does not cancel any accepted debt. Any separate claim or counterclaim must credit amounts already paid or retained toward that debt.
DEMAND
I demand payment of $1,500.00, the amount improperly withheld from my deposit.
This demand is limited to the amount improperly withheld. The applicable statutory remedy is conditional: under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(m), bad-faith retention of a deposit exposes you to statutory damages of up to twice the deposit, in addition to actual damages. I reserve the right to seek that remedy if its conditions are established in court.
Please deliver payment to the address above no later than September 21, 2026 (14 days from the date of this letter). This requested date does not shorten any statutory notice or cure period. If this remains unresolved after the applicable notice, service and waiting requirements are satisfied, I intend to file suit in small claims court. I have retained dated photographs of the property's condition, the lease, our correspondence, your itemized statement, the repair receipts you provided, and this demand letter.
Sincerely,
Maya Patel (fictional tenant)
Enclosures: Evidence exhibit listSend it with a record you can use.
Name each disputed charge and request the applicable invoices, receipts, labor breakdown and condition photos. Attach your own move-in and move-out records and identify any pre-existing condition.
Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5: return and accounting ↗What happens after sending?
If the landlord used a permitted estimate, track the follow-up documentation. Separate your refund request from any claim for additional damages that requires further proof.
They refund some or all of it
Save the payment record and update what remains disputed. Read any settlement or release before agreeing to it.
They reject the request or explain the deductions
Match each explanation to your lease and condition records. Reply with the specific amounts and reasons still disputed.
The letter comes back or nobody responds
Keep the envelope or tracking record. Check the address and required service method before using the California filing guide. Attempted delivery may not complete statutory service.
Frequently asked questions
Which return deadline should my California letter refer to?
21 days after move-out to return the deposit or send an itemized statement. Missing the 21-day deadline costs the landlord the statutory right to withhold; bad-faith noncompliance forfeits the right to claim any portion of the deposit (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(h)(7)), and the tenant may sue for the full amount plus up to a 2x penalty.
What penalties does California law allow if the withholding was wrongful?
Bad-faith retention (or a bad-faith demand) exposes the landlord to statutory damages of up to twice the deposit, in addition to actual damages (Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(m)).
What happens if the landlord ignores the letter?
You can file in small claims court (limit: $12,500; filing fees $30-$75 depending on claim size). Check required notices, filing deadlines and the court's rules before filing.
California filing steps and court forms →