Massachusetts security deposit demand letter
Ask for your deposit with the Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
Check the sworn damage list and cost evidence
For damage deductions, Massachusetts requires a detailed itemized list sworn under penalties of perjury and written cost evidence within the 30-day period. Compare it with the move-in Statement of Condition.
What records should support deductions?
The sworn list must be accompanied by written evidence - estimates, bills, invoices, or receipts - showing the actual or estimated repair cost (§ 15B(4)(iii)); undocumented costs cannot be deducted.
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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 Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B: 30 days after termination of occupancy - the deposit or balance must come back with interest (G.L. c. 186, § 15B(4)). 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 Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(7), your failure to comply entitles me to a mandatory award of three times the amount due, plus 5 percent interest, court costs, and reasonable attorney's fees. 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
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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.
Massachusetts 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: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B ↗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 Massachusetts case. Letter and exhibit pages extracted from a generated case PDF. Your letter uses your own facts and state law.
Read the complete Massachusetts sample letter
Fictional Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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 Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B (Massachusetts Security Deposit Law), the applicable return rule is: 30 days after termination of occupancy - the deposit or balance must come back with interest (G.L. c. 186, § 15B(4)).
DISPUTED DEDUCTIONS
I dispute the following deductions under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B 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 includes all interest accrued on my deposit, which state law requires: Deposits held 1+ year earn 5% a year or the bank's actual rate; interest is due annually and at return (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186 § 15B(3)(b)).
This demand is limited to the amount improperly withheld. The applicable statutory remedy is conditional: under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(7), your failure to comply entitles me to a mandatory award of three times the amount due, plus 5 percent interest, court costs, and reasonable attorney's fees. 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 damage entry, any pre-existing condition and missing estimate, bill, invoice or receipt. Request the remaining deposit and applicable interest with a clear calculation.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B: return and accounting ↗What happens after sending?
Keep the sworn statement and supporting documents together. Separate questions about the accounting from disputes about the actual condition of the unit.
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 Massachusetts filing guide. Attempted delivery may not complete statutory service.
Frequently asked questions
Which return deadline should my Massachusetts letter refer to?
30 days after termination of occupancy - the deposit or balance must come back with interest (G.L. c. 186, § 15B(4)). Missing the 30-day sworn itemized list, mishandling the escrow account, or failing to return the balance forfeits the right to retain any portion of the deposit and to counterclaim for damage (§ 15B(6)).
What penalties does Massachusetts law allow if the withholding was wrongful?
For failing to return the deposit within 30 days, keep it in a separate interest-bearing Massachusetts bank account, or transfer it to a successor owner, the tenant shall be awarded three times the amount due plus 5% interest, court costs, and attorney's fees (§ 15B(7)) - the treble award is mandatory. One of the strongest tenant statutes in the country.
What happens if the landlord ignores the letter?
You can file in small claims court (limit: $7,000; filing fees $40-$150 depending on claim size). Check required notices, filing deadlines and the court's rules before filing.
Massachusetts filing steps and court forms →