Tools · Security Deposit
Rhode Island Security Deposit Demand Letter
A written request for the return of your deposit, with the Rhode Island statute (R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-19), the 20 days deadline, and the penalty the law provides already filled in. Add your dates and amount, then copy or print it.
Rhode Island 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 R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-19, a landlord must return the deposit, or provide an itemized statement of any deductions, within 20 days after the later of the tenancy ending, the tenant handing back possession, or the tenant giving the landlord a forwarding address for the deposit.
Where a deposit is wrongfully withheld, the statute provides: A landlord who fails to comply is liable for the amount wrongfully withheld, plus damages equal to twice that amount, and the tenant's reasonable attorney fees. In practice, keeping $300 without justification can cost the landlord $600 in damages on top of returning the money, plus fees.
I request the return of my deposit of $________________, or the itemized statement the statute requires, as provided by R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-19. Please send it to me at the mailing address below.
Sincerely,
________________
________________
The citation, deadline, and penalty above come from R.I. Gen. Laws §34-18-19. Full rule and exceptions: Rhode Island security deposit reference. If the deposit is not returned, money disputes this size are what small claims court handles: see the Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island 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.