They kept your deposit. Maybe they called it “cleaning.”
Your emails are easy to ignore.
A certified demand letter is not.
$39 $29 flat · About 5 minutes · No subscription
Mailed in 48h or your $29 back
What actually happens
7 quick questions about your move-out. About 5 minutes, on your phone.
Drafted from a large database of real deposit cases, our letter templates, and purpose-built AI.
A legal professional reads your letter before anything is printed or mailed.
USPS Certified to your landlord. You keep the signed receipt — proof they were notified.
Your letter is custom-drafted by AI trained on landlord-tenant law, then reviewed by a licensed attorney. It cites your state's specific deposit statute and quotes the statutory damages multiplier — the two details that spell out, in writing, what ignoring you could cost.
USPS Certified Mail means your landlord must sign a green receipt upon delivery. That signed card is court-grade evidence if they ignore your demand.
In most states, missing the deposit return deadline doesn't just mean "they kept it." It unlocks statutory damages of 2× or 3× the deposit, attorney fees, and a clear path to small claims court.
Most states require deposit return within 14–30 days. The landlord may still send the deposit + itemized statement. Cooperation is highest now.
Past your state's deadline? Many states add a penalty on top — up to 2× the deposit in CA, or 3× the amount wrongfully kept in TX, where bad faith is shown. Florida has no multiplier: there the landlord forfeits the right to claim against your deposit at all, plus your fees.
Your certified letter establishes the formal demand and 14-day response window. After that, small claims is straightforward — and your signed certified-mail receipt is the proof that you made a formal demand first.
The signed delivery receipt is court evidence the demand was made. From there, you have leverage every step.
If your landlord kept any portion of your deposit for reasons that feel arbitrary, excessive, or improperly documented, Jab can help.
| Option | Jab | Hire a Lawyer | Write It Yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $400+ | Free (hours of work) | |
| State-specific statute citation | ✓ Always | ✓ Yes | ✗ Requires research |
| Attorney review | ✓ Included | ✓ Yes | ✗ None |
| USPS Certified Mail | ✓ Included | Extra cost | You mail it yourself |
| Legal delivery record | ✓ Signature required | Not always | ✗ None |
| Time to send | 5 minutes | Days or weeks | Hours of research |
Answer 7 questions on Jab. We generate a state-specific demand letter, an attorney reviews it, and we mail it USPS Certified within 48 hours. $29 flat — same letter you'd pay $400+ for at a law firm.
It depends on your state. California: 21 days (Civ Code §1950.5). Texas: 30 days (Prop Code §92.103). New York: 14 days (GOL §7-108). Florida: 15 days — or 30 days if the landlord imposes a claim (§83.49). Missing it often unlocks statutory damages — commonly up to 2× or 3× — though most states require a showing of bad faith, and several apply the multiplier only to the amount wrongfully kept.
A certified demand letter changes your landlord's math: in many states, ignoring it turns a $1,500 deposit into a potential $3,000–$4,500 court loss, not counting attorney fees. The letter cites the exact statute and the multiplier — so that risk is spelled out in writing, signed for on delivery. And if they still ignore it, the certified receipt becomes your evidence for small claims.
An itemized list doesn't automatically validate the charges. Jab still helps if (a) the deductions are for normal wear and tear, (b) the repairs aren't documented with receipts where required by state law, or (c) the costs are unreasonable. Your letter challenges each specific deduction.
Only for unpaid rent or damage beyond normal wear and tear, and only with written itemization. Charges for routine cleaning, paint touch-ups, minor wear, or undocumented repairs are generally not legal in most states.
Jab handles this. In the wizard, you can either (a) provide your rental property address as the mailing target (the property management company will receive it), (b) flag that you don't know the address — we attempt a public-records lookup and otherwise mail to your last known address, or (c) provide the new address you've found.
If we can't mail your letter USPS Certified within 48 hours, full refund. If you receive your letter and feel it doesn't accurately reflect your case, contact support — we'll either revise or refund.
5 minutes to start. USPS Certified Mail sent within 48 hours. $29 flat — or your money back.
Send My Demand Letter — $29 →The deadline that applies, what the statute says happens when it is missed, and the code section so you can read it yourself.
The return deadline, the penalty for missing it, and the code section — checked state by state. 28 states checked so far.