Start with the three facts that matter
If your Indiana security deposit was not returned, first confirm three facts: the rental agreement ended, you gave possession back, and you gave the landlord a mailing address in writing. Indiana's ordinary 45-day rule is tied to those facts, so those are the first things to line up.
Watch this step: if you have not already sent the mailing address, send it now in writing and save proof. Missing or delaying this step can delay the process and make the Indiana deposit rules harder to use cleanly.
The landlord should return the deposit or send an itemized written notice if money is being kept. If the notice is missing, late, vague, or unsupported, your next step is usually a written request that puts the timeline, address proof, and deduction dispute in one place.
If you gave the mailing address in writing
- Save the letter, email, text, certified-mail receipt, screenshot, or other proof.
- Confirm the date the landlord received it.
- Track the 45-day period from the required trigger facts.
- Ask for the deposit balance or the itemized list of deductions.
- Keep any envelope, postmark, or mailing proof if the landlord says a notice was sent.
If you missed or delayed the written address
Send the mailing address in writing now. Do not say you are giving up your claim. Missing or delaying that step can make the 45-day rule harder to use cleanly, but the deposit dispute may still depend on the lease, rent, damages, communications, and proof.
What to request
Ask for:
- the full security deposit balance due
- a complete itemized accounting if deductions are claimed
- the estimated cost of repair for claimed damages
- the remaining refund balance
- the date and method any refund or notice was mailed
Related Indiana guides
- Indiana security deposit deadline
- Indiana security deposit demand letter
- What landlords can deduct in Indiana
- Indiana evidence checklist
If you want a cleaner next step, the Indiana recovery system keeps the letters in order so you can move from notice to demand without rebuilding the whole record.
Get the Deposit Recovery System
Important: This is general information and not legal advice.