Prompt details

Tested on

Claude Opus 5.5

Length

510 words · 4 fill-ins

Example input

[Tenancy dates and deposit]: Apartment in Denver. Three 1-year leases in a row with the same landlord, 3 years in total. Rent $1,800 a month. Deposit $1,800, paid at move-in. I moved out and returned the keys on Day 1, the last day of the lease, and emailed my forwarding address the same day. The lease says nothing about when the deposit will be returned. On Day 38 I received a letter with a check for $550 and the deduction list. Today is Day 41.

[Landlord's deduction list]: Deposit: $1,800.00 Carpet replacement, living room and both bedrooms ("stained and worn"): $850.00 Interior painting, whole unit ("walls require repainting"): $300.00 General cleaning: $100.00 Total deductions: $1,250.00 Refund: $550.00 No receipts or invoices were attached.

[Your evidence]: - The move-in checklist the landlord and I both signed 3 years ago. It says: "Carpet: worn traffic path in hallway and living room, small stain bedroom 2. Walls: some scuffs, nail holes in living room." The landlord also texted me at move-in that the carpet was "about 4 years old". - 46 dated photos I took on Day 1 after cleaning, room by room, showing the carpet and walls. - A receipt from a carpet cleaning company I paid on Day 1: $165 for all carpets. - Honest note: I left one coin-sized burn mark on the living-room carpet near the couch, from a candle. It's in my photos. - Walls: we hung pictures, so there are about 12 small nail holes, plus normal scuffs behind furniture. No large damage. - The unit was not repainted during our 3 years.

[State or country]: Denver, Colorado, USA

Example output

Security Deposit Demand: Denver, Colorado

Assumptions:

Your three back-to-back leases count as one continuous tenancy, so the original deposit and the move-in checklist from 3 years ago still apply.
"Received on Day 38" may differ from the mailing date. Check the postmark, because Colorado counts from when the statement is mailed or delivered.

Main rules (Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 38, Article 12, Part 1, C.R.S. §§ 38-12-101 to -104). Confirm each at leg.colorado.gov, Title 38, Article 12; the law was amended in recent years.

Return deadline: The deposit, or a written statement of the exact reasons for keeping any of it, is due within one month after the tenancy ends. A lease can extend this to up to 60 days. Yours doesn't. (§ 38-12-103(1), confirm.)
Late statement: A landlord who misses that deadline forfeits the right to withhold any portion. (§ 38-12-103(2), confirm.)
Penalty: If the landlord willfully keeps money wrongfully, you can recover a multiple of the amount withheld (historically three times), plus attorney fees and court costs. To claim this, you must first give 7 days' written notice that you intend to sue. (§ 38-12-103(3)(a), confirm the current multiplier and notice rule.)
Burden of proof: In court, the landlord must prove the withholding was not wrongful. Normal wear and tear cannot be deducted. (§§ 38-12-102(1), 38-12-103, confirm.)

Before you deposit the $550 check: see whether the check or the letter says "payment in full" or "full and final settlement." If it does, look up "accord and satisfaction" under Colorado law (C.R.S. § 4-3-311) or ask legal aid before cashing it.

---

1. Timeline

When	What happened	Why it matters
~3 years ago, move-in	You paid the $1,800 deposit. You and the landlord signed a checklist noting a worn traffic path in the hallway and living room, a small stain in bedroom 2, wall scuffs and nail holes in the living room. The landlord texted that the carpet was "about 4 years old."	This is the baseline. You can't be charged for conditions that existed before you moved in. It also puts the carpet at about 7 years old at move-out.
Years 1–3	Two renewals with the same landlord. The unit was never repainted.	Paint and carpet aged 3 more years through ordinary use.

Claude Opus 5.5

Security Deposit Demand Letter – Security deposit letter prompt for ChatGPT and Claude

^$9.99

Kept in your account
Copy filled in or download
Updates included

Pay once and keep it. Or get every premium prompt and skill with the plan, $19.99 a month. Payments are non-refundable. See our Terms.

votes views

Claude Opus 5.5

This prompt helps a tenant get back a withheld security deposit. Paste your tenancy dates, the deduction list, your evidence and your location; you get a timeline, a reply to each deduction, the demand letter and next steps.

What you get

A tenancy timeline checked against your local deposit rules
A reply to each deduction: wear and tear, there at move-in, unproven or fair
A demand letter with the amount, the pay-by date and your next step
An evidence checklist and the small claims steps to look up

How to use it

1
Gather the move-in and move-out proof
Find your move-in checklist, dated photos, receipts and messages, and note any damage you caused yourself.
2
Check the rules it names
Confirm each deadline and penalty on your state's or country's official site before you send the letter.
3
Send it and keep proof
Send the letter by a method that shows delivery, keep a copy, and note the pay-by date.

Better results

Own the damage you caused. Accepting one fair charge makes your challenge to the rest more believable.
If the deduction list came without receipts or invoices, ask the landlord for them in writing.
If the landlord replies with a partial offer, paste it into the chat and ask for a reply that keeps the same pay-by date.

Questions

How do I write a letter to get my security deposit back?

State the tenancy dates, the deposit and what was withheld, then answer each deduction with your evidence. Demand a specific amount by a specific date and say you will file in small claims court if it is not paid. Keep it factual and polite.

Can a landlord charge for normal wear and tear?

Generally no. US state deposit laws usually let landlords deduct for damage beyond normal wear and tear, not for the ordinary aging of carpet, paint and fixtures. Your state's law defines the terms, so check it for your rental.

Can ChatGPT write a security deposit demand letter?

Yes. ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini can write a firm security deposit demand letter from your dates, the deduction list and your evidence. It should name your state's deposit law and mark each deadline and penalty to confirm, because these differ by state and change.

What if my landlord ignores the demand letter?

If your landlord ignores the letter, the usual next step is small claims court, where tenants can file without a lawyer. Check your local deadline, any notice you must give first and the filing fee. A tenant union or legal aid office can advise you.

Updated 8 Nov 2026