Landlord kept your deposit in Tennessee? 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 Tennessee 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. Nothing to wait out: Tennessee sets no fixed return deadline, so you can demand the deposit back now. The 30/7-day figures only cap additional damages discovered after the initial listing. If the landlord sends a refund notice, respond within 60 days - the demand letter is exactly that response - or the deposit is forfeited.
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 Tennessee accounting rule: The landlord must compile a comprehensive listing of ascertainable damage with estimated repair costs (jointly at a mutual inspection where available); a tenant who refuses to sign must specify dissent in writing - recovery in court is limited to items specifically dissented to (§ 66-28-301(b),(d)).
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 Tennessee: No receipts requirement; the required document is the itemized damage listing with estimated costs. Deposits must be kept in a dedicated account at a regulated institution, and the landlord must disclose its location at lease signing.
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.
A refund notice can trigger a 60-day response window. Preserve the notice date; the 30- and seven-day figures for later-discovered damage are not a general refund deadline.
See the Tennessee 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 Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301.
- 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee letter template.
Before you call the refund late
Nothing to wait out: Tennessee sets no fixed return deadline, so you can demand the deposit back now. The 30/7-day figures only cap additional damages discovered after the initial listing. If the landlord sends a refund notice, respond within 60 days - the demand letter is exactly that response - or the deposit is forfeited.
Check coverage: Tennessee's deposit statute (the URLTA) applies only in counties with a population over 75,000 as of the 2010 census - 17 counties in all, including Davidson, Shelby, Knox, and Hamilton. If you rent anywhere else in Tennessee, there is no state deposit statute and your rights come from your lease and general contract law.
Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301 (URLTA counties only, § 66-28-102) ↗Deposit statute reviewed August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules.
Check the rules for your situation
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 Tennessee?
Nothing to wait out: Tennessee sets no fixed return deadline, so you can demand the deposit back now. The 30/7-day figures only cap additional damages discovered after the initial listing. If the landlord sends a refund notice, respond within 60 days - the demand letter is exactly that response - or the deposit is forfeited. 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 Tennessee?
You can write a demand yourself. If you consider a court claim, general sessions court (limit: $25,000) is designed for self-represented tenants - filing fees run about $42-$190 depending on county.
What can I ask to recover in a Tennessee deposit dispute?
Forfeiture only: no multiplier, no flat penalty, no fee award. The landlord loses the right to retain any portion if the escrow-account or damage-listing requirements were not met (§ 66-28-301(c)).
Read the full Tennessee deposit-law guide for the return, deduction and remedy rules.