Landlord & Housing · free generator
Michigan Security Deposit Demand Letter
You moved out, you left the place in decent shape, and your deposit still has not come back. In Michigan, that is not a judgment call: under Michigan Compiled Laws section 554.609 (Landlord and Tenant Relationships Act), your former landlord generally has 30 days to return your deposit or send an itemized statement of deductions. This generator produces a demand letter that cites Mich. Comp. Laws § 554.609 by name, states the legal deadline, and puts your landlord on notice that small claims court — where Michigan hears claims up to $7,000 — 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 Michigan Compiled Laws section 554.609 (Landlord and Tenant Relationships Act) (Mich. Comp. Laws § 554.609), you were required to return my security deposit, or provide a written itemized statement of any lawful deductions, within 30 days. Yes - an itemized list of damages with the estimated cost of repair of each item, mailed within 30 days, including a 12-point boldface notice that the tenant has 7 days to respond by mail or forfeit the claimed amount. 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 Michigan law allows claims up to $7,000, and I will pursue every remedy available under Mich. Comp. Laws § 554.609, 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 Michigan
- Return deadline
- 30 days
- Governing statute
- Mich. Comp. Laws § 554.609
- When the clock starts
- Within 30 days after termination of occupancy, the landlord must mail the tenant an itemized list of claimed damages plus a check for the balance of the deposit. The tenant must give a written forwarding address within 4 days of moving out (MCL 554.611); failing to do so relieves the landlord of the 30-day notice duty, but not the duty to return what is owed.
- Itemized deductions
- Yes - an itemized list of damages with the estimated cost of repair of each item, mailed within 30 days, including a 12-point boldface notice that the tenant has 7 days to respond by mail or forfeit the claimed amount.
- If it's wrongfully kept
- If the landlord neither returns the disputed money nor sues within 45 days after the tenant vacates, the landlord waives all claimed damages and is liable for double the amount of the security deposit retained under MCL 554.613(2).
- Small claims limit
- $7,000 (district court small claims division, since Jan 1, 2024)
Worth knowing: Michigan caps deposits at 1.5 months' rent and requires the landlord to keep the money in a regulated financial institution or post a cash bond. Move-in and move-out inventory checklists are mandatory under MCL 554.608. The burden then flips onto the landlord: if the tenant objects to the damage list in writing within 7 days, the landlord must sue the tenant within 45 days of move-out to keep any disputed portion - silence means the money must come back. Mail your forwarding address within 4 days of leaving to keep the full protection of the 30-day clock.
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 Michigan small claims judge will ask about. Keep a copy with your move-out photos and lease.
- Within 30 days after termination of occupancy, the landlord must mail the tenant an itemized list of claimed damages plus a check for the balance of the deposit. The tenant must give a written forwarding address within 4 days of moving out (MCL 554.611); failing to do so relieves the landlord of the 30-day notice duty, but not the duty to return what is owed.
- If the deadline has already passed, skip the text-message negotiation. Filing in small claims ($7,000 (district court small claims division, since Jan 1, 2024)) 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 Michigan?
Within 30 days after termination of occupancy, the landlord must mail the tenant an itemized list of claimed damages plus a check for the balance of the deposit. The tenant must give a written forwarding address within 4 days of moving out (MCL 554.611); failing to do so relieves the landlord of the 30-day notice duty, but not the duty to return what is owed. The governing statute is Michigan Compiled Laws section 554.609 (Landlord and Tenant Relationships Act). Yes - an itemized list of damages with the estimated cost of repair of each item, mailed within 30 days, including a 12-point boldface notice that the tenant has 7 days to respond by mail or forfeit the claimed amount.
What can I recover if my landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit in Michigan?
If the landlord neither returns the disputed money nor sues within 45 days after the tenant vacates, the landlord waives all claimed damages and is liable for double the amount of the security deposit retained under MCL 554.613(2). These cases are built for small claims court — the Michigan limit is $7,000 (district court small claims division, since Jan 1, 2024), filing fees are modest, and no lawyer is needed.
Anything else Michigan renters should know about deposits?
Michigan caps deposits at 1.5 months' rent and requires the landlord to keep the money in a regulated financial institution or post a cash bond. Move-in and move-out inventory checklists are mandatory under MCL 554.608. The burden then flips onto the landlord: if the tenant objects to the damage list in writing within 7 days, the landlord must sue the tenant within 45 days of move-out to keep any disputed portion - silence means the money must come back. Mail your forwarding address within 4 days of leaving to keep the full protection of the 30-day clock.
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