Idaho security deposit demand letter
Ask for your deposit with the Idaho 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 Idaho
Use the required three-day cure notice before suit
Idaho's return period is 21 days unless the agreement sets another period, never more than 30. Section 6-320 requires a written three-day notice of the failure and demand for performance before a suit under that section.
What records should support deductions?
No express receipts requirement, but the required 'detailed list of expenditures made from the deposit' is an accounting of actual spending, not estimates.
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.
Add names, addresses and sending details
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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 Idaho Code § 6-321: Refund due within 21 days after surrender if no time is fixed by agreement; the parties may agree on a different period, but never longer than 30 days after surrender (§ 6-321). 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 Idaho Code § 6-317, wrongful retention of my deposit exposes you to a judgment of up to three times the actual damages assessed by the court. 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.
Idaho 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: Idaho Code §§ 6-321, 6-320, 6-317, 6-324 ↗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 Idaho case. Letter and exhibit pages extracted from a generated case PDF. Your letter uses your own facts and state law.
Read the complete Idaho sample letter
Fictional Idaho case. Generated sample, not a court outcome or a substitute for your own letter.
Maya Patel (fictional tenant)
[Fictional current mailing address]
September 08, 2026
Daniel Reed (fictional landlord)
[Fictional landlord mailing address]
SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
RE: Demand for return of security deposit - [Fictional Idaho 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 Idaho Code § 6-321 (Idaho Security Deposit Law), the applicable return rule is: Refund due within 21 days after surrender if no time is fixed by agreement; the parties may agree on a different period, but never longer than 30 days after surrender (§ 6-321).
DISPUTED DEDUCTIONS
I dispute the following deductions under Idaho Code § 6-321 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 is limited to the amount improperly withheld. The applicable statutory remedy is conditional: under Idaho Code § 6-317, wrongful retention of my deposit exposes you to a judgment of up to three times the actual damages assessed by the court. 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 22, 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.
Identify the specific failure and requested cure. Follow section 6-320's service methods; a general request without the required notice and service is not a substitute.
Idaho Code 6-320: notice and service before suit ↗What happens after sending?
Keep proof of service and allow the cure period. Compare any signed itemization with the stated purpose and actual expenditures for each retained amount.
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 Idaho filing guide. Attempted delivery may not complete statutory service.
Frequently asked questions
Which return deadline should my Idaho letter refer to?
Refund due within 21 days after surrender if no time is fixed by agreement; the parties may agree on a different period, but never longer than 30 days after surrender (§ 6-321). No automatic forfeiture; the tenant sues under § 6-320 for failure to return the deposit, and the court may treble actual damages under § 6-317.
What penalties does Idaho law allow if the withholding was wrongful?
Discretionary treble damages: judgment 'may be entered for three times the amount at which the actual damages are assessed' (§ 6-317, via a § 6-320 action). Before suing, the tenant must serve a 3-day written notice listing the failure with a demand for cure (§ 6-320(d)). Attorney fees go to the prevailing party (§ 6-324), but not in cases where treble damages are awarded.
What happens if the landlord ignores the letter?
You can file in small claims court (limit: $5,000; filing fees about $69 - confirm with the clerk). Check required notices, filing deadlines and the court's rules before filing.
Idaho filing steps and court forms →