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Massachusetts security deposit demand letter
In Massachusetts, the lessor must return the security deposit or any balance within 30 days after the end of the tenancy. If money is kept for damage, the statute requires a sworn itemized list within those 30 days. Failing to return the deposit on time can require an award of three times the amount the tenant is entitled to, plus interest, court costs, and reasonable attorney's fees.
Laws change. Read the official source and confirm it still applies to your tenancy. Local ordinances are not summarized here. This page is not legal advice.
Return deadline
30 days after the tenancy ends.
General Laws chapter 186, § 15B(4) says the lessor shall, within thirty days after the termination of occupancy under a tenancy-at-will or the end of the tenancy as specified in a valid written lease, return to the tenant the security deposit or any balance, subject to the deductions that subsection lists.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(4). Massachusetts General Court, G.L. c. 186, § 15B. Last verified: 2026-11-10.
If the deposit is kept improperly
Failure to return the deposit on time requires triple the amount due, plus 5% interest, costs, and attorney's fees.
Section 15B(6)(e) says the lessor forfeits the right to retain any portion of the security deposit, or to counterclaim for damage in a deposit case, if the lessor fails to return the deposit or balance, with any interest, within thirty days after termination of the tenancy. Section 15B(7) says that if the lessor fails to comply with clauses (a), (d), or (e) of subsection (6), the tenant shall be awarded three times the security deposit or balance to which the tenant is entitled, plus interest at five percent from the date payment became due, together with court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(6)–(7). Massachusetts General Court, G.L. c. 186, § 15B. Last verified: 2026-11-10.
Itemized deductions
Yes, when the deduction is for damage. The list must be sworn and include cost evidence.
Section 15B(4)(iii) allows a deduction of a reasonable amount to repair damage the tenant caused, reasonable wear and tear excluded. In that case the lessor shall provide, within the thirty days, an itemized list of damages sworn to by the lessor or agent under pains and penalties of perjury, itemizing in precise detail the nature of the damage and the repairs, and written evidence such as estimates, bills, invoices, or receipts of the actual or estimated cost.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(4)(iii). Massachusetts General Court, G.L. c. 186, § 15B. Last verified: 2026-11-10.
Forwarding address
The required receipt for last month's rent paid in advance must tell the tenant to give a forwarding address. That is not the same as pausing the 30-day deposit deadline.
Section 15B(2)(a) says the receipt for rent paid in advance for the last month must include a statement that the tenant should provide the lessor with a forwarding address at the termination of the tenancy. The 30-day security-deposit return duty in § 15B(4) is not written as being suspended until that address arrives.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(2)(a), (4). Massachusetts General Court, G.L. c. 186, § 15B. Last verified: 2026-11-10.
Written demand before a case
We did not verify a statute that requires a demand letter before every Massachusetts case about a deposit. Ask the court clerk or a legal aid lawyer before you rely on a filing rule.
Free sample with blanks
Copy this outline and fill the brackets yourself. The statute sentence is from the checked note above, not from a generated draft.
[Date] [Your name] [Your current address] [Landlord name] [Landlord address] Re: Return of security deposit for [rental address] Dear [Landlord name], I rented [rental address] from [move-in date] through [move-out date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit]. You have returned $[amount already returned]. I am asking for the remaining $[balance]. What happened: [Describe the move-out, the condition of the unit, and any list of deductions you did or did not receive. Two or three sentences are enough.] Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B(4), 30 days after the tenancy ends. Failure to return the deposit on time requires triple the amount due, plus 5% interest, costs, and attorney's fees. Please pay $[balance] within [14] days by [check or money order]. I can provide [receipts, photos, the lease, or messages]. Sincerely, [Your name] Sample note: the statute sentences above come from Massachusetts General Court, G.L. c. 186, § 15B, last verified 2026-11-10. Laws change. This sample is a formatting example, not legal advice.
Official and free resources
- G.L. c. 186, § 15B — Official General Laws text.
- Learn about paying a security deposit — Mass.gov points readers to § 15B and related regulations.
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