About This Site

I'm Andrew Grechniv.

About 30 years ago, I had an apartment in Hell's Kitchen. I was just a kid, and a month and a half's rent was real money to me. I needed it. I was counting on it.

I got the chance to leave the city and head to California. I made one mistake: I let the landlord know I was going far away.

That was it.

I never saw the deposit, and I never heard from him again. It hurt, and it slowed me down.

A lot of renters know that feeling. It happened back then, and it still happens now. A landlord delays. The explanation is vague. The deductions do not add up. Or they just stop responding and hope you let it go.

A lot of people do let it go.

This site came out of that problem.

Why This Exists

I learned this process by helping friends, neighbors, and other renters deal with security deposit problems in real life. Not by sending one dramatic letter and hoping for the best, but by understanding the timing, the documentation, and the steps that actually matter.

That eventually became this site.

My background is in IT architecture and systems design, so I naturally approached this as a process problem: a repeatable sequence, a solid paper trail, and the right steps in the right order. Thirty years in home improvement contracting only reinforced that. In any dispute, process and documentation usually matter more than emotion.

I'm not a lawyer, and I'm not a web designer. This site is simple by design. It is here to be clear, useful, and practical for regular renters.

What Makes This Different

A lot of people think a fancy demand letter is all you need.

It can help. But it is not a magic wand.

What helps more is a sequence:

• understand the rule that applies in your state
• document the facts clearly
• send the right notice at the right stage
• escalate only if needed

That is why the paid product is a Recovery System, not a one-letter product. It is a sequence of four letters designed to set the tone, document the timing, build a clean record, and give the landlord real motivation to return your money.

Why State-Specific Matters

Security deposit problems may look similar from state to state, but the actual rules are not all the same.

The deadlines, deduction rules, notice requirements, and next steps that matter come from state law.

That is why this site is organized by state. The goal is not to bury renters in legal language. The goal is to make the rules understandable in plain English and help people take the next step with more confidence.

What This Site Does

This site is here to make the process easier to understand and easier to use.

It is built to help renters:

• understand the rules that apply in their state
• figure out where they stand
• organize their timeline and evidence
• take the next step in the right order

You can absolutely work through the process yourself using the free guides.

The Recovery System is the shortcut. It gives you the four-step sequence, timing, and letters in one place so you do not have to piece it together while already dealing with a move, a dispute, or a landlord who is dragging things out.

Built Seriously

DepositBack is independent, but it is built seriously: state-specific, researched, written in plain English, and designed around what actually helps renters move things forward.

There is no gimmick here. The free information is meant to be genuinely useful. The paid system is the convenience layer for renters who want the full sequence already organized.

Where to Start

If you're dealing with a deposit issue now:

• Start with your state: Find your state
• Understand how the process works: How It Works

From there, you can move through the steps based on your situation.

Final Note

This site provides general information and not legal advice.

I appreciate you visiting, and I hope it helps you in some way.

— Andrew Grechniv