Washington security deposit demand letter
Ask for your deposit with the Washington 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 Washington
Check the supporting documents, not just the total
Washington requires a full and specific statement, supporting cost documentation and any refund within 30 days after termination and vacating. Compare claimed damage with the move-in checklist.
What records should support deductions?
Since July 2023 the landlord must attach copies of estimates, invoices, bills, or receipts for repair/cleaning costs (and a time-and-rate statement for their own labor); deductions are barred for ordinary wear, undocumented move-in-checklist items, or costs exceeding replacement value (RCW 59.18.280).
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Choose your situation, then add your figures. No account or payment. Unfilled details stay in brackets for you to edit.
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Read your draft letter
[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 RCW 59.18.280: 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates, the landlord must deliver or mail a full and specific written statement with documentation plus any refund due (extended from 21 days by 2023 amendments). 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 RCW 59.18.280(2), intentional refusal to provide the required statement or refund exposes you to a judgment of up to two times the full deposit, plus my 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
See what your case documents add.
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.
Washington 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: RCW 59.18.280 ↗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 Washington case. Letter and exhibit pages extracted from a generated case PDF. Your letter uses your own facts and state law.
Read the complete Washington sample letter
Fictional Washington 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 Washington rental address]
Dear Daniel Reed (fictional landlord):
I vacated the above rental property on August 01, 2026 and paid a security deposit of $1,800.00. Under RCW 59.18.280 (Washington Security Deposit Law), the applicable return rule is: 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates, the landlord must deliver or mail a full and specific written statement with documentation plus any refund due (extended from 21 days by 2023 amendments).
DISPUTED DEDUCTIONS
I dispute the following deductions under RCW 59.18.280 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 is limited to the amount improperly withheld. The applicable statutory remedy is conditional: under RCW 59.18.280(2), intentional refusal to provide the required statement or refund exposes you to a judgment of up to two times the full deposit, plus my 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 disputed line and missing estimate, invoice, bill or receipt. For the landlord's own work, ask for the time and rate calculation. Include the relevant condition records.
RCW 59.18.280: return and accounting ↗What happens after sending?
Compare the full accounting and documentation with the 30-day rule and any statutory exceptions. Additional recovery depends on the applicable conditions and the court's determination.
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 Washington filing guide. Attempted delivery may not complete statutory service.
Frequently asked questions
Which return deadline should my Washington letter refer to?
30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant vacates, the landlord must deliver or mail a full and specific written statement with documentation plus any refund due (extended from 21 days by 2023 amendments). The landlord becomes liable for the full deposit, cannot withhold any portion, and (absent circumstances beyond their control) cannot charge for damages, report the debt to screening agencies, or send it to collections.
What penalties does Washington law allow if the withholding was wrongful?
For intentional refusal to provide the statement or refund, the court may award up to two times the full deposit (RCW 59.18.280(2)); the prevailing party also recovers court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
What happens if the landlord ignores the letter?
You can file in small claims court (limit: $10,000; filing fees $35-$50). Check required notices, filing deadlines and the court's rules before filing.
Washington filing steps and court forms →