Pennsylvania security deposit demand letter
Use a demand letter when the 30-day return/accounting period has passed, the landlord has your new address in writing, and the deposit balance, unpaid interest, or written damage list is still unresolved.
The letter is not the whole process. It is one step in the sequence: written address proof, deadline, damage-list review, demand, final demand, possible court.
When to send it
Send a Pennsylvania demand letter if:
- the lease terminated or surrender and acceptance happened
- you gave the landlord your new address in writing
- more than 30 days have passed
- the landlord did not return the balance due
- the landlord sent no written damage list, sent it late, or listed deductions that do not fit the Pennsylvania categories
Keep the tone firm and factual. The first demand should create a clean record, not over-threaten.
Sample demand letter
[Your Name]
[Your Current Address]
[City, State, ZIP]
[Email Address]
[Date]
[Landlord's Name]
[Landlord's Address]
Re: Security Deposit for [Rental Address]
Dear [Landlord's Name],
I am writing about the security deposit for [Rental Address].
The lease terminated or the premises were surrendered and accepted on [Date]. I provided my new address in writing on [Date Sent], and I have kept proof of that notice.
Pennsylvania's security deposit rules, including 68 P.S. §§ 250.511a-.512, generally require the landlord to provide a written damage list and pay the balance between the deposit plus unpaid interest and actual tenant-caused damages within 30 days after lease termination or surrender and acceptance, whichever first occurs.
More than 30 days have passed. I have not received [the balance of my deposit / a timely written damage list / a sufficient explanation of the deductions].
Please send the amount due, including any unpaid interest if applicable, or provide a written explanation tied to actual tenant-caused damages, unpaid rent, or breach of another lease condition, by [Response Deadline].
If this is not resolved, I may pursue the remedies available under Pennsylvania security deposit law. If the 30-day rule was missed and my written new-address notice was provided, Pennsylvania may allow recovery of double the amount by which my deposit plus unpaid interest exceeds actual tenant-caused damages. The landlord has the burden to prove actual damages.
Please send payment and any response to the address listed above.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
What to include
Include the facts that matter:
- rental address
- deposit amount
- lease termination date or surrender-and-acceptance date
- date you gave your new address in writing
- whether 30 days have passed
- whether a written damage list was sent
- what amount you are requesting
- a short response deadline
If your tenancy lasted long enough for interest to matter, mention unpaid interest. If your landlord claims damage, ask for the written damage list and proof of actual tenant-caused damage.
How to send it
Send the letter in a way you can prove:
- certified mail or another trackable mailing method
- email if you have used email with the landlord
- a saved copy of the exact letter and all delivery proof
Why one letter is often not enough
A first demand may solve the problem. If it does not, the next step is usually a stronger entitlement notice or final demand.
That is why the sequence matters. The goal is not to send a random angry letter. The goal is to build a clean record: deadline, written address, damage list, proof, demand, final demand.
The Pennsylvania Recovery System gives you the demand sequence, not just one sample letter.