Tools · Security Deposit
Vermont Security Deposit Demand Letter
A written request for the return of your deposit, with the Vermont statute (9 V.S.A. §4461), the 14 days (60 days for seasonal, non-primary rentals) deadline, and the penalty the law provides already filled in. Add your dates and amount, then copy or print it.
Vermont 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 9 V.S.A. §4461, a landlord must return the deposit, or provide an itemized statement of any deductions, within 14 days (60 days for seasonal, non-primary rentals) from the date the tenant vacates, or the date the landlord learns the tenant has vacated or abandoned the unit.
Where a deposit is wrongfully withheld, the statute provides: A landlord who fails to return the deposit with an itemized statement within 14 days forfeits the right to withhold any part of it and must return the full amount. If the failure is willful, the landlord is liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs.
I request the return of my deposit of $________________, or the itemized statement the statute requires, as provided by 9 V.S.A. §4461. Please send it to me at the mailing address below.
Sincerely,
________________
________________
The citation, deadline, and penalty above come from 9 V.S.A. §4461. Full rule and exceptions: Vermont security deposit reference. If the deposit is not returned, money disputes this size are what small claims court handles: see the Vermont 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 Vermont 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 Vermont 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.