Landlord & Housing · free generator
Pennsylvania Security Deposit Demand Letter
You moved out, you left the place in decent shape, and your deposit still has not come back. In Pennsylvania, that is not a judgment call: under Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 512 (68 P.S. section 250.512), 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 68 P.S. § 250.512 by name, states the legal deadline, and puts your landlord on notice that small claims court — where Pennsylvania hears claims up to $12,000 — 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 Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 512 (68 P.S. section 250.512) (68 P.S. § 250.512), you were required to return my security deposit, or provide a written itemized statement of any lawful deductions, within 30 days. Yes - a written list of claimed damages must be delivered within 30 days, accompanied by payment of the difference between the deposit (plus any unpaid interest) and the actual damages. 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 Pennsylvania law allows claims up to $12,000, and I will pursue every remedy available under 68 P.S. § 250.512, 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 Pennsylvania
- Return deadline
- 30 days
- Governing statute
- 68 P.S. § 250.512
- When the clock starts
- The written list of damages plus payment of the balance is due within 30 days of termination of the lease or of surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever comes first. The tenant must provide a new address in writing to preserve remedies.
- Itemized deductions
- Yes - a written list of claimed damages must be delivered within 30 days, accompanied by payment of the difference between the deposit (plus any unpaid interest) and the actual damages.
- If it's wrongfully kept
- A landlord who misses the 30-day list forfeits all rights to withhold any portion of the deposit or to sue the tenant for damages; a landlord who fails to pay the balance within 30 days is liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld, and bears the burden of proving actual damages.
- Small claims limit
- $12,000 (Magisterial District Court)
Worth knowing: Deposits are capped at two months' rent in the first year of a lease and one month thereafter, and after five years of tenancy rent increases cannot raise the deposit. Deposits over $100 held more than two years must be escrowed in a regulated bank and earn the tenant annual interest. Section 250.512(e) is the trap: if the tenant never gives the landlord a new address in writing at move-out, the landlord is relieved of all liability under the section - so a demand letter with a forwarding address is essential. Lease clauses waiving these rights are void.
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 Pennsylvania small claims judge will ask about. Keep a copy with your move-out photos and lease.
- The written list of damages plus payment of the balance is due within 30 days of termination of the lease or of surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever comes first. The tenant must provide a new address in writing to preserve remedies.
- If the deadline has already passed, skip the text-message negotiation. Filing in small claims ($12,000 (Magisterial District Court)) 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 Pennsylvania?
The written list of damages plus payment of the balance is due within 30 days of termination of the lease or of surrender and acceptance of the premises, whichever comes first. The tenant must provide a new address in writing to preserve remedies. The governing statute is Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 512 (68 P.S. section 250.512). Yes - a written list of claimed damages must be delivered within 30 days, accompanied by payment of the difference between the deposit (plus any unpaid interest) and the actual damages.
What can I recover if my landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit in Pennsylvania?
A landlord who misses the 30-day list forfeits all rights to withhold any portion of the deposit or to sue the tenant for damages; a landlord who fails to pay the balance within 30 days is liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld, and bears the burden of proving actual damages. These cases are built for small claims court — the Pennsylvania limit is $12,000 (Magisterial District Court), filing fees are modest, and no lawyer is needed.
Anything else Pennsylvania renters should know about deposits?
Deposits are capped at two months' rent in the first year of a lease and one month thereafter, and after five years of tenancy rent increases cannot raise the deposit. Deposits over $100 held more than two years must be escrowed in a regulated bank and earn the tenant annual interest. Section 250.512(e) is the trap: if the tenant never gives the landlord a new address in writing at move-out, the landlord is relieved of all liability under the section - so a demand letter with a forwarding address is essential. Lease clauses waiving these rights are void.
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