Landlord & Housing · free generator
Connecticut Security Deposit Demand Letter
You moved out, you left the place in decent shape, and your deposit still has not come back. In Connecticut, that is not a judgment call: under Connecticut General Statutes section 47a-21, your former landlord generally has 21 days to return your deposit or send an itemized statement of deductions. This generator produces a demand letter that cites Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 by name, states the legal deadline, and puts your landlord on notice that small claims court — where Connecticut hears claims up to $5,000, — is the next stop. You do not need perfect English or a lawyer for this; the statute does the arguing. Fill in the blanks below, send it by certified mail, and keep a copy — the letter that cites the actual law is the one that gets answered.
[Date]
[Your former landlord's name]
Re: Demand for return of security deposit — [Rental property address]
Dear [Your former landlord's name],
I am writing to formally demand the return of my security deposit of [Deposit amount] for the property at [Rental property address], which I have vacated and returned to your possession.
Under Connecticut General Statutes section 47a-21 (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21), you were required to return my security deposit, or provide a written itemized statement of any lawful deductions, within 21 days. Any deduction for damages must be accompanied by a written statement itemizing the nature and amount of each damage, delivered within the same deadline. Deductions for normal wear and tear are not permitted.
As of the date of this letter, I have received neither my deposit nor a lawful accounting for it. Please send the full amount of [Deposit amount] to my forwarding address: [Forwarding address for payment].
If I do not receive payment or a lawful written response within 10 days, I will file a claim in small claims court, where Connecticut law allows claims up to $5,000,, and I will pursue every remedy available under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21, including any statutory damages for wrongful retention.
I would prefer to resolve this without litigation. Prompt payment will close the matter.
Sincerely,
[Your full name]
Know your rights
Security deposit law in Connecticut
- Return deadline
- 21 days
- Governing statute
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21
- When the clock starts
- The deposit plus accrued interest is due within 21 days after the tenancy terminates or within 15 days after the landlord receives written notice of the tenant's forwarding address, whichever is later. A 2023 amendment (P.A. 23-207, effective October 1, 2023) cut the former 30-day period to 21 days.
- Itemized deductions
- Any deduction for damages must be accompanied by a written statement itemizing the nature and amount of each damage, delivered within the same deadline.
- If it's wrongfully kept
- Wrongful withholding makes the landlord liable for twice the amount of the security deposit; if the only violation is unpaid interest, liability is $10 or twice the accrued interest, whichever is greater.
- Small claims limit
- $5,000, but no cap on security-deposit double-damage claims
Worth knowing: Connecticut is one of the few states where deposits earn annual interest, at a rate tied to the state's deposit index, payable each tenancy anniversary and at move-out. Deposits are capped at two months' rent, dropping to one month once the tenant is 62 or older — and older tenants can demand refund of any excess already held. Sending the landlord a written forwarding address is critical: it starts the 15-day alternate clock and is a precondition to the double-damages penalty. Uniquely, small claims court will hear a deposit-doubling claim even above its normal $5,000 limit.
Last reviewed August 2026 · General information, not legal advice · Read the statute
Field notes
Three tips before you send
- Send it by certified mail with a return receipt — that dated record is the first exhibit a Connecticut small claims judge will ask about. Keep a copy with your move-out photos and lease.
- The deposit plus accrued interest is due within 21 days after the tenancy terminates or within 15 days after the landlord receives written notice of the tenant's forwarding address, whichever is later. A 2023 amendment (P.A. 23-207, effective October 1, 2023) cut the former 30-day period to 21 days.
- If the deadline has already passed, skip the text-message negotiation. Filing in small claims ($5,000, but no cap on security-deposit double-damage claims) usually costs under $75, and most landlords pay between the summons and the hearing.
Other states
Deposit letters for every state
Straight answers
Questions people ask
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Connecticut?
The deposit plus accrued interest is due within 21 days after the tenancy terminates or within 15 days after the landlord receives written notice of the tenant's forwarding address, whichever is later. A 2023 amendment (P.A. 23-207, effective October 1, 2023) cut the former 30-day period to 21 days. The governing statute is Connecticut General Statutes section 47a-21. Any deduction for damages must be accompanied by a written statement itemizing the nature and amount of each damage, delivered within the same deadline.
What can I recover if my landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit in Connecticut?
Wrongful withholding makes the landlord liable for twice the amount of the security deposit; if the only violation is unpaid interest, liability is $10 or twice the accrued interest, whichever is greater. These cases are built for small claims court — the Connecticut limit is $5,000, but no cap on security-deposit double-damage claims, filing fees are modest, and no lawyer is needed.
Anything else Connecticut renters should know about deposits?
Connecticut is one of the few states where deposits earn annual interest, at a rate tied to the state's deposit index, payable each tenancy anniversary and at move-out. Deposits are capped at two months' rent, dropping to one month once the tenant is 62 or older — and older tenants can demand refund of any excess already held. Sending the landlord a written forwarding address is critical: it starts the 15-day alternate clock and is a precondition to the double-damages penalty. Uniquely, small claims court will hear a deposit-doubling claim even above its normal $5,000 limit.
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