Landlord kept your deposit in Washington, D.C.? 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 Washington, D.C. 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 45 days after termination the housing provider must return the deposit plus interest or give written notice of intent to withhold (14 DCMR 309.1); an itemized statement must follow within 30 days of that notice.
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 Washington, D.C. accounting rule: After a timely notice of intent to withhold, the provider must deliver within 30 days an itemized statement of repairs and other uses with the cost of each, and refund any balance (14 DCMR 309.2). Deductions are limited to purposes stated in writing at the start of the tenancy.
Check interest too. Deposit must be held in an interest-bearing escrow account at a District institution; accrued interest is returned with the deposit (14 DCMR 309, 311).
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 Washington, D.C.: The regulation requires an itemized statement of repairs/uses with the cost of each; no express receipts-attachment requirement found.
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.
Under section 42-3502.17(e), the landlord must respond to information you provide within 10 days of receipt. Track this dispute response separately from the deposit accounting and refund.
See the Washington, D.C. 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 14 DCMR § 309.
- 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 Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. letter template.
Before you call the refund late
Within 45 days after termination the housing provider must return the deposit plus interest or give written notice of intent to withhold (14 DCMR 309.1); an itemized statement must follow within 30 days of that notice.
14 DCMR §§ 308-311; D.C. Code § 42-3502.17 ↗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 Washington, D.C.?
Check the statutory deadline. Within 45 days after termination the housing provider must return the deposit plus interest or give written notice of intent to withhold (14 DCMR 309.1); an itemized statement must follow within 30 days of that notice. 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 Washington, D.C.?
You can write a demand yourself. If you consider a court claim, small claims court (limit: $10,000) is designed for self-represented tenants - filing fees run $5-$45 depending on claim size.
What happens if my landlord doesn't return my security deposit in 45 days in Washington, D.C.?
Failure to comply with the 45-day/30-day requirements is prima facie evidence that the tenant is entitled to full return of the deposit plus interest (14 DCMR 309.3) - a rebuttable presumption shifting the burden to the provider, not automatic forfeiture; bad-faith withholding brings treble damages.
Am I owed interest on my deposit in Washington, D.C.?
In at least some cases, yes. Deposit must be held in an interest-bearing escrow account at a District institution; accrued interest is returned with the deposit (14 DCMR 309, 311).
What can I ask to recover in a Washington, D.C. deposit dispute?
Liable for the amount withheld, or treble damages for bad faith - defined as a frivolous or unfounded refusal motivated by a fraudulent, deceptive, misleading, dishonest, or unreasonably self-serving purpose (14 DCMR 309-310).
Read the full Washington, D.C. deposit-law guide for the return, deduction and remedy rules.