Delaware Security Deposit Demand Letter
A free Delaware security deposit demand letter that follows Delaware law. Fill in the boxes, check the rules below, then print or copy it. Keep a copy and proof of how you sent it.
What Delaware law says
| Deposit return deadline | 20 days after the lease expires or terminates. Source: 25 Del. C. § 5514(e)-(f) |
|---|---|
| Itemized deductions | Within 20 days, an itemized list of damages with the estimated repair cost for each, plus payment of the balance. Failure to send the list is an acknowledgment that nothing is owed for damages. Tenant who accepts the payment agrees to the deductions unless the tenant objects in writing within 10 days of receiving it. Source: 25 Del. C. § 5514(f) |
| Penalty for withholding | Double the amount wrongfully withheld if not returned within 20 days. Failure to disclose the escrow account location within 20 days of written request, or using a non-compliant bank, forfeits the deposit to the tenant (double if not then returned within 20 days). Source: 25 Del. C. § 5514(g) |
| Wear and tear / move-out charges | Defined by statute as the deterioration in the condition of a property from its ordinary and reasonable use. A security deposit may be used to reimburse actual damages caused by the tenant that exceed normal wear and tear or that cannot be corrected by painting and ordinary cleaning, plus unpaid rent and certain re-renting costs. The landlord must give an itemized list of damages and estimated repair costs within 20 days; otherwise it is treated as acknowledging no damages are owed. |
Fill in your letter
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To: [landlord or manager name], [landlord address]
From: [your name], former tenant at [rental address]
I moved out and returned the keys on [move-out date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount]. I gave you my forwarding address in writing on [date you gave your address].
Under 25 Del. C. § 5514(e)-(f), a landlord must return the deposit, or send an itemized list of lawful deductions, by the deadline set in that law. I have not received [the deposit / an itemized list].
Please send $[amount owed] to [forwarding address] within [number] days of this letter.
If I do not receive it, I plan to file a claim in small claims court and ask for any additional amount allowed by 25 Del. C. § 5514(g).
Date: [today's date]
Tenant: [your name]
Signature: ____________________
How to send it: use a method you can prove — certified mail with return receipt, or email/text if your lease allows notices that way. Write down the date.
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.