Security deposit return letter
Reconcile the recorded deposit, itemize proposed deductions, and prepare a refund letter. Verify each deduction and the required return process.
Editable draft
$2,000.00 remaining refund.
Complete every placeholder and verify local wording, timing, and delivery requirements before using this draft.
Edits stay in this page. No letter is sent or saved to an account.
Reconcile the money before drafting the explanation
Remaining refund = deposit + entered credits − prior refunds − listed deductions
The worksheet keeps each amount in whole cents. It distinguishes refunds already paid from deductions, so a prior payment is not accidentally subtracted twice or described as a charge. Add a description for every nonzero deduction; attach the records required for the actual tenancy separately.
A reconciliation example
A $2,000 deposit plus a verified $12.25 credit, less $300 already refunded and a listed $125.30 deduction, leaves $1,586.95. The example demonstrates the subtraction; it does not approve the credit, deduction, or timing.
With $100 remaining and a proposed $150 deduction, the worksheet shows a $0 refund and $50 of excess listed deductions. It does not turn the excess into an established tenant debt.
Describe the item and identify its support
Use a factual description that makes the proposed charge understandable. The amount field is not a substitute for a receipt, invoice, photograph, work description, or other record required in the jurisdiction. The draft provides a separate supporting-records field for the attachments you actually have.
The editor does not assign a deposit-return deadline or determine which deductions are allowed. For a California tenancy, review the California security-deposit guide and its official sources before completing the accounting.
Verify payment and statement delivery separately
The refund-method field is blank on purpose. The statement-delivery field is separate because sending an accounting and transferring money are different actions. Confirm who must receive the statement and payment, including where more than one tenant is involved.
As described in California DRE’s 2026 guide, California’s digital-refund rule can be triggered when the deposit or any rent payment was paid digitally, unless there is a written agreement for an alternative. That California rule is one reason this general template does not assume an enclosed check or a postal refund. See the state guide for scope and details.
Tenants seeking an accounting can use the separate deposit request letter. Calculate partial-month base rent in the move-out calculator before recording any agreed rent adjustment.
Questions, answered
Does the calculated refund prove that every deduction is allowed?
No. The worksheet subtracts the deductions you enter. Whether an item may be deducted, what records are required, and when the accounting and refund must be provided depend on the applicable rules and facts.
What happens when deductions exceed the deposit?
The remaining refund is shown as zero, with excess listed deductions reported separately. The draft does not label that excess as a debt owed by the tenant or demand payment automatically.
Does the template assume a check will be mailed?
No. Refund method and accounting-delivery method are separate blank fields. Check the required method before completing them. California has a specific digital-refund rule discussed in its current state guide.
Can I enter interest or credits?
Yes. Enter a verified credit or interest amount if one applies. The tool adds the amount you supply; it does not calculate statutory interest, choose a rate, or determine whether interest is due.
Sources and review
Reviewed October 25, 2026. These are original editable drafts and arithmetic examples, not a finding of legal entitlement or valid service.
USAGov: How to file a complaint against a landlord, updated April 15, 2026, provides a route to state assistance and legal help.
California DRE, California Tenants, 2026 edition (PDF), revised January 1, 2026. Pages 76–80 discuss accounting, documentation, refund methods, and related California requirements. This state guide does not establish rules for other locations.
California Courts: security deposits, checked October 25, 2026, gives state-specific accounting and dispute guidance. Consult the current 2026 DRE guide for its digital-refund update.
See our calculation methodology for numerical conventions. No letter is submitted or sent by this site.