FICTIONAL MASSACHUSETTS SAMPLE - NOT FOR SENDING Generated 2026-09-08 using GetMyDepositBack's rules and document generators. All parties and facts are fictional. This demonstrates preparation documents, not a filed case or a court outcome. This fictional example assumes the tenancy is covered by the cited deposit law. Check the coverage conditions for your own rental. DEMAND 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 list DISPUTED CHARGES Repainting ordinary wall scuffs - $900.00 Ordinary wear and tear - not deductible Evidence: move-in photos and move-out photos Source: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B EVIDENCE CHECKLIST Exhibit 1: Signed lease agreement Establishes deposit amount and terms Exhibit 2: Timestamped move-in photos/video Baseline condition at the start of tenancy Exhibit 3: Timestamped move-out photos/video Condition at surrender - rebuts damage claims Exhibit 4: Landlord's itemized statement Shows the charges being disputed and its date Exhibit 5: Correspondence with landlord Timeline, forwarding address, admissions Exhibit 6: Demand letter + certified mail receipt Proof of formal demand and date Exhibit 7: Charge-by-charge legal analysis Shows each deduction is improper, unsupported, or wear and tear, with statute citations - included as a formatted exhibit in the case PDF OFFICIAL DEPOSIT STATUTE https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section15B You attach your own evidence and file using your court's official forms and current procedure.