Before you assess or act
Get the important pieces in one place.
You do not need a perfect case file. You do not need every receipt, every photo, or every date before you can begin.
A few key documents and facts can make it much easier to understand what happened and what your options are. Gather what you have, write down what you remember, and mark anything you're unsure about. The goal is not perfection. The goal is to turn a stressful pile of details into something you can actually work with.
If you would rather not keep track of this yourself, the free 4-page Case Intake Form gives you one place to organize it all.
Security Deposit Intake Form
Free PDF · 4 pages · fill in by hand or type
Documents to have on hand
A PDF, a Word file, or clear photos of each page all work.
- Your leasePDF, Word document, or photos of every page. This is the single most useful thing — it shows your state, your deposit amount, your dates, and your landlord's details.
- The landlord's itemized deduction listThe written notice explaining what they kept and why — if they sent one. If they didn't, that's important too, and worth noting.
- Proof you paid the depositAny one of these works: a Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, or other digital record; a bank or card statement; a canceled check; or a receipt. The landlord's own itemized list also counts as proof, since it admits they're holding your money.
- Your move-out photos or walkthrough, if you have themBefore-and-after pictures, a move-out report, or any written messages about the unit's condition. Helpful, but not required to begin.
Facts and dates to know
These are the facts only you can provide. The Demand Letter Companion handles the legal research if you decide to use it.
- The amount of your security depositWhat you actually paid. If a different amount was collected than the lease states, note both.
- Your move-out dateThe day your tenancy ended. This starts the legal clock, so try to be exact — check texts or emails if you're unsure.
- The date you first heard from the landlord about the depositWhen they sent the deductions, returned part of it, or otherwise responded — and whether any money came back, and how much.
- Your current mailing addressWhere the landlord can send payment or a response. This also appears on your demand letter.
- Your landlord's nameThe person or company on the lease — the one you'd name in a case.
- Your landlord's mailing address, if you know itUseful but not a blocker. If you don't have it, that is not a reason to stop. The Demand Letter Companion can help you find it before the letter is written.
- What the landlord charged you forThe specific items from the deduction list — cleaning, paint, carpet, repairs, unpaid rent, and the dollar amount next to each.
- Whether the landlord provided receipts or invoicesA simple yes or no. Did they back up any of the charges with actual bills or estimates?
Your side of the story
No need to write anything formal — just be ready to explain it in your own words.
- What actually happened with each chargeThink through it in your own words. You do not need to turn it into a legal argument.
A few examples of what's worth recalling: Did you clean well, or pay for a cleaning? Did the place already have old or worn carpet, or paint that was due to be redone anyway? Did you take photos before or after move-out? Were there repairs you'd asked for that the landlord ignored? You do not have to have every answer. Bring what you remember, note what is uncertain, and work through the missing pieces one at a time.
Missing something?
Don't have everything? Start anyway.
Missing move-out photos, receipts, or an exact date does not automatically mean you have no case.
Photos can be useful, especially when the condition of the unit is disputed. But they are not the only kind of evidence, and not having them does not erase the landlord's obligation to justify deductions. Your lease, the landlord's itemization, messages, receipts, repair requests, move-in records, and the landlord's own documents can all matter.
Gather what you have. Write down what you remember. Mark anything uncertain. The next step is figuring out what matters — not building a perfect evidence binder before you begin.
Once your facts are organized
You still do not have to decide whether to sue.
Getting organized is not a commitment to court. It simply gives you enough clarity to choose the next step without making the decision from a place of overwhelm.
Still deciding?
Find out whether this looks worth pursuing.
The free case assessment uses the basic facts of your situation to give you a preliminary read before you spend anything.
Free. About 5–10 minutes. Preliminary legal information, not legal advice.
Ready to act?
Turn these facts into a demand letter.
The Demand Letter Companion reads your lease, asks for the facts on this list, checks your state's rules, works out what you can ask for, and writes a letter you approve.
If the landlord pays or you reach an acceptable settlement, the dispute ends there. Court is the backup plan if the landlord refuses.