Tools · Security Deposit
Louisiana Security Deposit Demand Letter
A written request for the return of your deposit, with the Louisiana statute (La. Rev. Stat. §§9:3251-9:3254), the 1 month (30 days) deadline, and the penalty the law provides already filled in. Add your dates and amount, then copy or print it.
Louisiana 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 La. Rev. Stat. §§9:3251-9:3254, a landlord must return the deposit, or provide an itemized statement of any deductions, within 1 month (30 days) after the lease terminates.
Where a deposit is wrongfully withheld, the statute provides: If a landlord willfully fails to comply, the tenant can recover the wrongfully retained portion plus $300 or twice the wrongfully retained amount, whichever is greater. Failing to refund within 30 days after the tenant’s written demand counts as willful failure. A tenant who wins can also recover court costs and reasonable attorney fees.
I request the return of my deposit of $________________, or the itemized statement the statute requires, as provided by La. Rev. Stat. §§9:3251-9:3254. Please send it to me at the mailing address below.
Sincerely,
________________
________________
The citation, deadline, and penalty above come from La. Rev. Stat. §§9:3251-9:3254. Full rule and exceptions: Louisiana security deposit reference. If the deposit is not returned, money disputes this size are what small claims court handles: see the Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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.