Sample letter · California

A California security deposit demand letter, when the landlord missed the 21-day deadline

This is the full letter the Demand Letter Companion wrote for a fictional California tenant. The landlord kept $1,400 of a $2,000 deposit and sent its itemized statement nine days late. Names and addresses are blurred, as they would be on a real letter.

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California's deposit rules at a glance

The rules this letter is built on, checked against the statute on October 25, 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Deadline: 21 days after the tenant moves out to return the deposit or send an itemized statement of deductions.Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(h)(1)
What the statement must include: Each deduction, with copies of receipts or invoices for the work, and photos for repair and cleaning charges.Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(g)-(h)
Normal wear and tear: The landlord may not charge for ordinary wear and tear.Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(e)
Burden of proof: The landlord has to prove the amounts it claims were reasonable.Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(m)
Penalty: If a judge finds the landlord kept the deposit in bad faith, up to twice the deposit in addition to actual damages. Not automatic.Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(m)
Deposit limit: One month's rent for deposits collected since July 1, 2024 (two months for some small landlords).Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(c)
Small claims: Individuals can sue for up to $12,500.California small-claims guidance

Sample Fictional case · names and addresses blurred

October 27, 2026

Natalie [redacted]
[redacted]
Sacramento, CA 95814

[redacted] Property Holdings LLC
[redacted]
Sacramento, CA 95814

Re: Demand for return of security deposit — [redacted], Sacramento, California 95814

Dear [redacted] Property Holdings LLC:

I demand return of the remaining $1,400.00 of my security deposit.

I rented [redacted], Sacramento, California 95814, from September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026, and paid a $2,000.00 security deposit. I moved out and returned possession on August 31, 2026. I received a $600.00 refund and an itemized statement on September 30, 2026.

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(h)(1)¹, you had 21 days after August 31, 2026—until September 21, 2026—to return my security deposit or send the itemized list of deductions. You missed that deadline: the refund and itemized statement were not provided until September 30, 2026, nine days late². This violation is separate from my objections to the deductions themselves.

I dispute the entire $1,000.00 carpet replacement charge. The carpet was old and worn when I moved in, with several worn-down patches, and looked the same when I moved out. The replacement charge concerns ordinary wear and a pre-existing condition, not damage I caused.

I also dispute the entire $400.00 painting charge. The walls already had many nail holes when I moved in, and I added no new holes. I should not be charged to fill and paint holes that existed before my tenancy.

I cleaned the home thoroughly and removed all my belongings before returning possession. I have photographs from both move-in and move-out supporting my account of the property’s condition.

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(b), (e)(1), repair deductions must be allowed and reasonably necessary for damage caused by me or my guests, excluding ordinary wear and tear. I dispute both charges because they concern unchanged or pre-existing conditions. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(m), you bear the burden of proving¹ that the amounts claimed were reasonable. I request the supporting bills, invoices or receipts, any required labor descriptions, time spent and hourly rates, and the required condition photographs under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(g)-(h).

I am entitled to return of the $1,400.00 wrongfully withheld. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(m), if a judge finds that you retained my deposit in bad faith, I may also recover statutory damages of up to twice my full $2,000.00 deposit. Those statutory damages are not automatic¹ and depend on the judge’s finding of bad faith. My potential recovery under this provision is $1,400.00 in actual damages plus up to $4,000.00 in statutory damages, for a total of up to $5,400.00.

To settle this matter now, I request payment of $1,400.00 by November 10, 2026¹. This settlement demand is lower than the potential $5,400.00 recovery described above. I request that payment be made by check or money order mailed to my address above.

I would prefer to resolve this matter without litigation.

If I do not receive payment by November 10, 2026, I will file a complaint in small claims court without further notice.

Sincerely,

____________________________
Natalie [redacted]

Your letter will be different

The Companion builds each letter from your lease, your answers, and your state’s rules. So yours won’t look exactly like this one:

Not every landlord misses a deadline. If yours didn’t, the letter won’t claim it.
Penalties vary a lot by state. Some states have none, some double or triple the deposit, and some require bad faith. Your letter uses your state’s rule.
Your disputes come from your facts — what was there at move-in, what you did at move-out, and what you can show.

You read and approve every word before you print, sign, and mail it.

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More sample letters

New YorkNo refund and no statement within 14 days; the whole $2,400 is owed.Read the letter →TexasDeduction list three weeks late; bad faith presumed; $1,350 kept.Read the letter →

All sample letters · Deposit laws by state

This sample shows what the Demand Letter Companion produces for one fictional situation. It is not legal advice, and it is not a template to copy for your own case. Laws and outcomes vary by state and by facts.