Demand Letter Pack

New York · Rental deposit

Getting your security deposit back in New York

In New York, a landlord must return the security deposit within 14 days after you move out, with an itemized statement of anything kept. A landlord who does neither loses the right to keep any part of it. If the money has not come back, a demand letter sets out that rule and gives a final date to pay. You get the letter in English or Spanish.

Start your letterFrom $49, paid once. No account needed.

The questions, and the documents that come with the letters (checklist, timeline, next steps and memo), are in English. The letters can be written in English or Spanish.

The rules your letter follows

Taken from the official sources listed below. Interest rates change from time to time; these are the current ones.

Landlord's period after you move out
14 days
To return the deposit and give an itemized statement of any amount kept. Miss it, and the landlord may keep nothing.
What the landlord may deduct
Rent, damage, utilities
Unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid utilities payable to the landlord, and moving and storage of your belongings. The landlord has to prove the deductions.
Final date the letter gives
14 days
You can choose up to 30 days.
Small claims court
Up to $10,000
In New York City Civil Court. The limit is lower in city, district, town and village courts elsewhere in the state. No prior demand is needed to file.
How to send it
Certified mail
Return receipt requested, with a copy by first-class mail and by email. The receipt proves the date it arrived.

What New York law says about the deposit

Within 14 days after you vacate, the landlord must give you an itemized statement of any amount kept and return the rest. A landlord who fails to do both forfeits any right to keep any portion of the deposit. Deductions are limited to unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid utilities payable to the landlord, and moving and storage costs. A willful violation can lead to punitive damages.

The rule does not cover rent-controlled homes. Rent-stabilized homes follow a separate section of the law, which has the same rule for newer leases and renewals.

What the letter does

It states the tenancy, the deposit and the date you moved out. It says the landlord's period has passed, disputes each deduction you do not accept, and asks for the deposit by a clear date. It mentions small claims court only if you say you are prepared to go there.

If the landlord still does not pay

A tenant can sue for the deposit in small claims court without an attorney: up to $10,000 in New York City Civil Court, and less in city, district, town and village courts elsewhere. Check the limit of the court where the rented home is. The filing fee is low. The escalation memo in the Complete pack describes this and the other routes; it does not tell you which one to take.

Where the rules come from

What is in the envelope

Word and PDF files you can edit before you send anything.

  1. 01

    Demand letter

    The formal letter, in the language you choose, with your amount and payment details. The deadline, and any interest and costs, follow the local rules.

  2. 02

    Evidence checklist

    What to keep and what to enclose, checked against the files you uploaded.

  3. 03

    Timeline

    Your dispute date by date, including the dates still to come.

  4. 04

    Next steps

    How to send the letter so you can prove it arrived, and what to do with each kind of reply.

  5. 05

    Final DemandComplete

    A shorter second letter with a last deadline, for when the first one passes.

  6. 06

    Escalation memoComplete

    Court, collection agencies and lawyers: what each route involves. It describes the options; it does not choose one for you.

How it works

  1. Today

    You answer the questions. It takes about ten minutes, and your answers are saved as you go.

  2. Today

    You check the summary and pay. A few minutes later your documents are ready, in Word and PDF.

  3. When you are ready

    You sign the letter and send it yourself, so it comes from you.

Questions

How long does a New York landlord have to return the deposit?

14 days after you move out. In that time the landlord must return the deposit and give an itemized statement of anything kept, or lose the right to keep any part of it.

Do I need to send a letter before small claims court?

No. A small claim starts with the filing fee and a statement of the claim, with no prior demand. A letter gives the landlord a last chance to pay and gives you a dated record.

How long do I have to claim?

The deposit law sets no time limit of its own. A claim under the lease and a claim under the statute have different general limitation periods, and it is not settled which one applies.

What does it cost?

$49 for the Standard pack and $79 for Complete, plus sales tax where it applies. You pay once.

P.S.

Your documents are written by an AI system and checked automatically against your answers and the local rules. No lawyer reviews them. They are document drafts and general information, not legal advice. Your answers are deleted 30 days after delivery, or sooner if you ask.

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