Landlord kept your deposit in Iowa? Find your next step.
No refund, only part of your money back, or charges you disagree with? Start with what you received, then build a response using your records and Iowa law.
Analysis free · Full case package $29-$49, one time · mailing optional
The deadline check is optional. See what you get
What do you need help with?
Open the situation that fits. Each route gives you something to check, something to keep, and a next step.
I received nothingNo refund and no list of deductions.
Check the trigger, then the date. Within 30 days from termination of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions (§ 562A.12(3)(a)) - the clock does not start until the address is provided.
Keep: your deposit payment, move-out or key-return record, forwarding-address notice and any earlier written request. These establish the timeline behind your demand.
Analyze my missing refund - free →I received part of my depositSome money came back. Find out what explains the difference.
Reconcile the refund. Compare the original deposit, what was returned and each deduction. Separate charges you accept from charges you dispute.
Check the amount they kept - free →Enter the refund and deductions in the case builder. You do not need a separate worksheet first.
The Iowa accounting rule: The written statement must show the specific reason for withholding and, for restoration charges, specify the nature of the damages; withholding is limited to unpaid rent, restoration beyond ordinary wear, and expenses of recovering possession from a bad-faith holdover.
Check interest too. Interest earned during the first 5 years of the tenancy belongs to the landlord; earnings after that belong to the tenant (Iowa Code § 562A.12(2)).
Keep: the refund record, deduction list and notice envelope or delivery record. If money is still unexplained, identify that gap in your written request.
I disagree with the deductionsYou have a charge list, whether or not a refund arrived.
Respond to the specific charges. Note each amount, why you dispute it, and which photo, message or record supports your position. Check the notice instructions above before choosing how and when to reply.
Check my deductions - free →The records rule in Iowa: No receipts requirement, but in any deposit action it is the landlord who bears the burden of proving the reason for withholding by a preponderance (§ 562A.12(3)(b)).
No move-in photos? Use an inventory checklist, inspection report, dated repair request, messages or witness accounts to explain the condition.
I already sent a demandThe landlord has not paid, or the dispute is still unresolved.
Compare the response with the permitted reasons for withholding. Keep your address notice, lease and condition evidence available if the dispute continues.
See the Iowa court route →Keep: your sent demand, delivery record and any reply. Use the court guide to check where to file, which forms to use, and the filing and service costs.
Turn the dispute into a documented demand
- Free: understand your dispute
- Add your refund, charges and records. Get a charge-by-charge analysis of the deposit rules and potential remedies under Iowa Code § 562A.12.
- Optional: your case documents, $29-$49
- Your demand letter, damages summary and evidence checklist, ready to review and send with your records. Mailing is optional and costs extra.
One charge, backed by a reason and records
Fictional Iowa example. Assumes coverage under the cited law; not a customer outcome.
- The charge
- Repainting ordinary wall scuffs: $900
- Records to attach
- move-in photos and move-out photos
Open PDF ↗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.
Prefer to write it yourself? Use the free Iowa letter template.
Before you call the refund late
Within 30 days from termination of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions (§ 562A.12(3)(a)) - the clock does not start until the address is provided.
Iowa Code § 562A.12 ↗Deposit statute reviewed August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules.
Check the return timeline
Optional date estimate. Read the start conditions above; a passed date alone does not establish a violation. Your date and deposit amount carry into the free analysis.
Already know the dates? Go straight to the refund and charges.
Continue to my free analysis →Questions before your next step
What should I do first if my landlord kept my deposit in Iowa?
Check the statutory deadline. Within 30 days from termination of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions (§ 562A.12(3)(a)) - the clock does not start until the address is provided. Save your move-out records, any refund and the itemized statement. Compare them with the deadline and deduction rules below.
Do I need a lawyer to get my deposit back in Iowa?
You can write a demand yourself. If you consider a court claim, small claims court (limit: $6,500) is designed for self-represented tenants - filing fees run $115 statewide plus service costs.
What happens if my landlord doesn't return my security deposit in 30 days in Iowa?
If no written statement arrives within 30 days of termination and receipt of the tenant's address, the landlord 'shall forfeit all rights to withhold any portion of the rental deposit' (§ 562A.12(4)).
Am I owed interest on my deposit in Iowa?
In at least some cases, yes. Interest earned during the first 5 years of the tenancy belongs to the landlord; earnings after that belong to the tenant (Iowa Code § 562A.12(2)).
What can I ask to recover in a Iowa deposit dispute?
Bad-faith retention subjects the landlord to punitive damages of up to two months' rent, in addition to actual damages (§ 562A.12(7)). A merely late return without bad faith yields forfeiture of the right to withhold, not punitives. Our calculator approximates the rent-based cap as one deposit on top of the refund.
Read the full Iowa deposit-law guide for the return, deduction and remedy rules.