Landlord & Housing · free generator
Tennessee Security Deposit Demand Letter
You moved out, you left the place in decent shape, and your deposit still has not come back. In Tennessee, that is not a judgment call: under Tennessee Code Annotated section 66-28-301 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act), Tennessee sets no single statutory deadline, but courts still expect a prompt return — and your lease may set its own. This generator produces a demand letter that cites Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301 by name, states the legal deadline, and puts your landlord on notice that small claims court — where Tennessee hears claims up to $25,000 — 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 Tennessee Code Annotated section 66-28-301 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301), you were required to return my security deposit within a reasonable time after I vacated the premises. Yes - the landlord must inspect and compile an itemized listing of damages with estimated repair costs, and cannot retain any portion of the deposit unless a compliant listing was made and the deposit was kept in a dedicated account. 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 Tennessee law allows claims up to $25,000, and I will pursue every remedy available under Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301, 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 Tennessee
- Return deadline
- No statutory deadline
- Governing statute
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-28-301
- When the clock starts
- The statute sets no fixed number of days to mail the refund; when the tenant leaves owing no rent, the landlord must send notice of the refund due to the tenant's last known address. Damages may only be charged if discovered before the earlier of 30 days after the tenant vacates or 7 days after a new tenant takes possession.
- Itemized deductions
- Yes - the landlord must inspect and compile an itemized listing of damages with estimated repair costs, and cannot retain any portion of the deposit unless a compliant listing was made and the deposit was kept in a dedicated account.
- If it's wrongfully kept
- No statutory multiplier - the tenant may sue in general sessions or circuit court for the amount owed, but only over items the tenant specifically dissented to on the damage listing. A landlord who failed to keep the deposit in a required separate account or failed to provide the damage listing forfeits the right to retain any of the deposit.
- Small claims limit
- $25,000 (General Sessions Court); unlimited in eviction cases
Worth knowing: Under section 66-28-102, Tennessee's deposit statute applies only in counties with more than 75,000 residents by the 2010 federal census (Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Rutherford and roughly a dozen others) - tenants in smaller rural counties have no deposit statute at all. The deposit must sit in a dedicated account whose location (not number) is disclosed at lease signing. Timing cuts both ways: once the landlord mails a refund notice, a tenant who stays silent for 60 days forfeits the deposit entirely, so respond in writing fast. Tenants should record every disagreement on the damage listing in writing, because court claims are limited to items specifically disputed there.
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 Tennessee small claims judge will ask about. Keep a copy with your move-out photos and lease.
- The statute sets no fixed number of days to mail the refund; when the tenant leaves owing no rent, the landlord must send notice of the refund due to the tenant's last known address. Damages may only be charged if discovered before the earlier of 30 days after the tenant vacates or 7 days after a new tenant takes possession.
- If the deadline has already passed, skip the text-message negotiation. Filing in small claims ($25,000 (General Sessions Court); unlimited in eviction cases) 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 Tennessee?
The statute sets no fixed number of days to mail the refund; when the tenant leaves owing no rent, the landlord must send notice of the refund due to the tenant's last known address. Damages may only be charged if discovered before the earlier of 30 days after the tenant vacates or 7 days after a new tenant takes possession. The governing statute is Tennessee Code Annotated section 66-28-301 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). Yes - the landlord must inspect and compile an itemized listing of damages with estimated repair costs, and cannot retain any portion of the deposit unless a compliant listing was made and the deposit was kept in a dedicated account.
What can I recover if my landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit in Tennessee?
No statutory multiplier - the tenant may sue in general sessions or circuit court for the amount owed, but only over items the tenant specifically dissented to on the damage listing. A landlord who failed to keep the deposit in a required separate account or failed to provide the damage listing forfeits the right to retain any of the deposit. These cases are built for small claims court — the Tennessee limit is $25,000 (General Sessions Court); unlimited in eviction cases, filing fees are modest, and no lawyer is needed.
Anything else Tennessee renters should know about deposits?
Under section 66-28-102, Tennessee's deposit statute applies only in counties with more than 75,000 residents by the 2010 federal census (Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, Rutherford and roughly a dozen others) - tenants in smaller rural counties have no deposit statute at all. The deposit must sit in a dedicated account whose location (not number) is disclosed at lease signing. Timing cuts both ways: once the landlord mails a refund notice, a tenant who stays silent for 60 days forfeits the deposit entirely, so respond in writing fast. Tenants should record every disagreement on the damage listing in writing, because court claims are limited to items specifically disputed there.
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