Florida security deposit demand letter
Ask for your deposit with the Florida 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 Florida
Received a notice of claim? Object within 15 days
If you received the landlord's notice of intent to claim your deposit, send a written objection within 15 days after receiving it. That is different from the landlord's 15-day refund / 30-day claim-notice requirements.
What records should support deductions?
The notice must state the amount and reason and use substantially the statutory form wording; receipts are not statutorily required, but case law places the burden of proof on the landlord in court.
Example: A claim notice dated before you received it
Sample Florida situation
- The landlord claims $600 for painting. The notice is dated September 1, but you receive it on September 4.
- Your photos show the same wall marks at move-in. You want to contest that charge, rather than just ask when the refund will arrive.
Your next step: Choose "Object to a claim notice" and enter September 4 as the received date. Identify the $600 deduction and the photos supporting your objection. The 15-day objection period runs from receipt; the payment date you request does not extend it.
Florida section 83.49(3)(a)-(b) ↗Make the free template yours.
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 Fla. Stat. § 83.49: 30 days to send written notice of intent to impose a claim - by certified mail or, since 2025, by e-mail if the tenant signed an electronic-delivery addendum (§ 83.505); 15 days to return the deposit if no claim. 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 Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(c), should I prevail in an action over this deposit, you will be liable for my court costs and reasonable attorney's fees in addition to the amount wrongfully withheld. 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.
Florida example: repainting ordinary wall scuffs, $900. The example assumes the tenancy is covered by the cited law; no tenant result is implied.
A starting request
I disagree with the $900 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: Fla. Stat. § 83.49 ↗The amount stays tied to the facts: $1,100 withheld - $200 in accepted charges = $900 disputed in this sample.
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See the actual PDF pages
Open PDF to zoom ↗Sample Florida case. Letter and exhibit pages extracted from a generated case PDF. Your letter uses your own facts and state law.
Read the complete Florida sample letter
Fictional Florida case. Generated sample, not a court outcome or a substitute for your own letter.
Maya Patel (fictional tenant)
[Fictional current mailing address]
August 20, 2026
Daniel Reed (fictional landlord)
[Fictional landlord mailing address]
SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
RE: Demand for return of security deposit - [Fictional Florida 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 Fla. Stat. § 83.49 (Florida Security Deposit Law), the applicable return rule is: 30 days to send written notice of intent to impose a claim - by certified mail or, since 2025, by e-mail if the tenant signed an electronic-delivery addendum (§ 83.505); 15 days to return the deposit if no claim.
DISPUTED DEDUCTIONS
I dispute the following deductions under Fla. Stat. § 83.49 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 - $900.00
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.
I do not contest the following deductions, totaling $200.00: Unpaid rent balance ($200.00).
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 $900.00, the amount improperly withheld from my deposit.
This demand includes all interest accrued on my deposit, which state law requires: No interest is required for the separate non-interest-bearing account option. For an interest-bearing account, the landlord elects at least 75% of the annualized average account rate or 5% simple interest. The surety-bond option requires 5% simple interest (Fla. Stat. 83.49(1)(a)-(c)).
Please deliver payment to the address above no later than September 03, 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.
For an objection, use the landlord address specified in the notice and keep proof of sending. Email notices depend on the agreement and requirements in section 83.505; do not assume an ordinary email is sufficient.
Florida Statutes 83.49(3): notice and objection ↗What happens after sending?
Without a timely objection the landlord may deduct the claimed amount, but section 83.49 preserves your right to seek damages in a separate action. Record any partial refund before deciding what remains disputed.
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 Florida filing guide. Attempted delivery may not complete statutory service.
Frequently asked questions
Which return deadline should my Florida letter refer to?
30 days to send written notice of intent to impose a claim - by certified mail or, since 2025, by e-mail if the tenant signed an electronic-delivery addendum (§ 83.505); 15 days to return the deposit if no claim. Failure to send the claim notice within 30 days forfeits the right to impose any claim on the deposit (the landlord may still sue separately after returning it). Watch out: a tenant leaving before the end of the term must give 7 days' written notice with a forwarding address - otherwise the landlord is relieved of the notice requirement.
What penalties does Florida law allow if the withholding was wrongful?
No fixed multiplier, but the prevailing party recovers court costs and attorney's fees (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(c)) - a strong settlement lever.
What happens if the landlord ignores the letter?
You can file in small claims court (limit: $8,000; filing fees about $55-$300 depending on claim size). Check required notices, filing deadlines and the court's rules before filing.
Florida filing steps and court forms →