Tools · Security Deposit
Florida Security Deposit Demand Letter
A written request for the return of your deposit, with the Florida statute (Fla. Stat. §83.49), the 15 days (no claim) / 30 days to notice a claim deadline, and the penalty the law provides already filled in. Add your dates and amount, then copy or print it.
Florida deposit demand letter generator
This is a general template for a common situation, not legal advice and not a substitute for a lawyer's review of your case. Blanks you leave empty print as lines you can fill in by hand.
Re: Return of the security deposit for ________________
Dear ________________,
I was a tenant at ________________ and moved out on ________________. My security deposit of $________________ has not been returned.
Under Fla. Stat. §83.49, a landlord must return the deposit, or provide an itemized statement of any deductions, within 15 days (no claim) / 30 days to notice a claim after the rental agreement ends.
Where a deposit is wrongfully withheld, the statute provides: A landlord who fails to send the 30-day notice "forfeits the right to impose a claim upon the security deposit" and must return it. In any dispute, the prevailing party recovers court costs and reasonable attorney's fees (§83.49(3)(c)).
I request the return of my deposit of $________________, or the itemized statement the statute requires, as provided by Fla. Stat. §83.49. Please send it to me at the mailing address below.
Sincerely,
________________
________________
The citation, deadline, and penalty above come from Fla. Stat. §83.49. Full rule and exceptions: Florida security deposit reference. If the deposit is not returned, money disputes this size are what small claims court handles: see the Florida limit.
Why a written demand, and what this letter does
A dated, written request is usually the first step a court or a legal-aid office will ask about, and in some states it is what starts or preserves the penalty. This letter states the facts: your tenancy, your move-out date, the deadline Florida law sets, and what the statute provides when a deposit is wrongfully withheld. It asks for what the law already requires, and it leaves any decision about going further entirely to you.
The template is informational only and not legal advice. If your situation has wrinkles (deductions you dispute, a lease that shifted the deadline, a local ordinance), check the Florida security deposit reference or talk to a lawyer or local legal aid before sending.
Deposit demand letters for other states
Same template, each with its own citation, deadline, and penalty.