Tools · Security Deposit
Wisconsin Security Deposit Demand Letter
A written request for the return of your deposit, with the Wisconsin statute (Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP §134.06; Wis. Stat. §100.20(5)), the 21 days deadline, and the penalty the law provides already filled in. Add your dates and amount, then copy or print it.
Wisconsin 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 Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP §134.06; Wis. Stat. §100.20(5), a landlord must return the deposit, or provide an itemized statement of any deductions, within 21 days after the lease ends and the tenant surrenders the unit; if the tenant leaves early or is evicted, the 21 days runs from when the lease ends or, if the landlord re-rents sooner, when the new tenant moves in.
Where a deposit is wrongfully withheld, the statute provides: A landlord who violates the security deposit rules can be sued under Wis. Stat. 100.20(5) for double the amount wrongfully withheld, plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees. Because a violation of ATCP 134.06 is treated as an unfair trade practice, a landlord who intentionally fails to provide the required statement can also face criminal exposure under Wis. Stat. 100.26(3).
I request the return of my deposit of $________________, or the itemized statement the statute requires, as provided by Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP §134.06; Wis. Stat. §100.20(5). Please send it to me at the mailing address below.
Sincerely,
________________
________________
The citation, deadline, and penalty above come from Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP §134.06; Wis. Stat. §100.20(5). Full rule and exceptions: Wisconsin security deposit reference. If the deposit is not returned, money disputes this size are what small claims court handles: see the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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.