Landlord kept your deposit in Minnesota? 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 Minnesota 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. Three weeks after termination and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions (five days if the building is condemned) - the clock does not start until the landlord has the address.
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 Minnesota accounting rule: Within the same three weeks the landlord must return the deposit with interest or provide a written statement of the specific reason for withholding; withholding is allowed only for amounts reasonably necessary for unpaid rent or restoration beyond ordinary wear.
Check interest too. Simple interest at the statutory 1% a year for the whole holding period, paid with the deposit (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 subd. 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 Minnesota: No statutory receipts requirement; only the written statement of specific reasons.
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.
Check both triggering events before alleging lateness. Compare the written reasons with reasonably necessary rent or restoration charges and your condition records.
See the Minnesota 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 Minn. Stat. § 504B.178.
- 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota letter template.
Before you call the refund late
Three weeks after termination and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions (five days if the building is condemned) - the clock does not start until the landlord has the address.
Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 ↗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 Minnesota?
Check the statutory deadline. Three weeks after termination and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions (five days if the building is condemned) - the clock does not start until the landlord has the address. 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 Minnesota?
You can write a demand yourself. If you consider a court claim, conciliation court (limit: $20,000) is designed for self-represented tenants - filing fees run about $65-$80 depending on county, with fee waivers available.
What happens if my landlord doesn't return my security deposit in 21 days in Minnesota?
Missing the three-week window loses the right to withhold: the landlord owes the withheld portion plus interest, plus a penalty equal to that amount (subd. 4).
Am I owed interest on my deposit in Minnesota?
In at least some cases, yes. Simple interest at the statutory 1% a year for the whole holding period, paid with the deposit (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 subd. 2).
What can I ask to recover in a Minnesota deposit dispute?
Two layers: (1) automatic - damages equal to the portion withheld plus interest, in addition to returning it (subd. 4; effectively doubles recovery); (2) bad-faith retention adds punitive damages up to $500 per deposit (subd. 7). Bad faith is presumed if the landlord failed to comply and doesn't return the deposit within two weeks of suit being filed.
Read the full Minnesota deposit-law guide for the return, deduction and remedy rules.