You handed back the keys. The deposit is yours by right, not a favour he gets to decide on his own schedule. A formal legal notice — the deposit amount, the handover date, and a firm deadline, addressed in your own name — is usually the step that finally gets it moving.
Serve-ready notice from ₹299, or ₹799 and we post it by Registered Post A.D. — a lawyer charges ₹2,000–5,000 for the same letter.
One or two sentences in your own words. We match them against what each document is for and point you at the right one — nothing is sent anywhere, and nothing is saved.
This is the same checklist we show once you've bought the notice. Nothing here is a test you can fail: it tells you what to gather, not whether you're allowed to act.
Missing one of these does not stop you sending anything. It does mean this is the first thing you will be asked for, so it is the first thing worth chasing.
The rental agreement showing the deposit
It proves how much you paid and on what terms it comes back. This is the whole claim in one document.
If you don't have it: No agreement? The transfer itself plus any message agreeing the amount can stand in — add both.
Proof you actually paid the deposit
The landlord's easiest answer is that the amount was different, or never paid. A bank or UPI record ends that.
If you don't have it: A receipt, a bank line, or a message acknowledging the amount all work.
Not strictly required, and the difference between a demand that gets taken seriously and one that gets ignored is usually somewhere in here.
Evidence of the condition when you left
Deposit disputes are argued over damage. Dated photographs and meter readings taken at handover settle it.
If you don't have it: If you did not photograph it, a handover note, the final meter reading, or a witness's account still helps.
The messages where you asked for it back
They fix the date the refund fell due, which is where the limitation clock starts.
If you don't have it: One dated message asking for the refund is enough.
Missing something? Send it anyway. Most people in a genuine dispute have less on paper than they should. The list is here so you know what to chase, not so you're told to wait.
The law gives you a window, not a wall. Here is what it actually says — never a date, because only you know when this started, and never a verdict on your case, because that is a lawyer's judgment, not this page's.
Suit to recover a security deposit must generally be filed within 3 years
Counted from: the day the refund fell due
If you think you're already past it: An old date does not end a deposit claim on its own — a written acknowledgement of what is owed, or a part-payment, restarts the clock. If it is close or already passed, see a lawyer this week rather than writing it off.
Limitation Act, 1963 — Schedule, Part I
Describe what happened
Tell us the facts in plain words — who owes what, and since when. You confirm every detail before anything is final.
Preview your notice free
See the full serve-ready legal notice in your own name — the exact amount, the demand, and a firm deadline — before you pay.
Download, or let us post it
Download the serve-ready PDF for ₹299, or pay ₹799 and we send it by Registered Post A.D. and email you the tracking number.
We post it on Wednesday 2 September. Miss that date and we refund your ₹799 in full — guaranteed.
How long does my landlord have to return the deposit?
It depends on your state's tenancy law, not one nationwide number. Tamil Nadu's tenancy law sets a 15-day deadline from the day you hand back possession; Andhra Pradesh sets one month. Treat those as the shape of the rule, not necessarily your own number — most other states don't yet have a codified deadline. Either way, the deposit is still owed under ordinary contract law the moment you handed over the keys; a missing state deadline just means the demand rests on that instead of a fixed clock.
He says he's deducting for damages. Can he do that?
He can lawfully deduct genuine damage beyond normal wear and tear, or rent arrears — not an unexplained round number. Ask for the itemised list and the bills in writing. If he won't put it in writing, that refusal is itself worth keeping as part of your record.
I don't have a written rental agreement. Do I still have a claim?
Yes — the deposit doesn't stop being owed because nothing was signed. Bank transfers, UPI history, rent receipts, or WhatsApp messages where he acknowledges the amount can all support the demand. Upload what you have and confirm the facts before you pay.
How long do I have to act?
A suit to recover a deposit generally must be filed within 3 years (Limitation Act, 1963), counted from the day the refund fell due. That's longer than most tenants assume, but an old date doesn't end a claim on its own — a written acknowledgement of what's owed, or a part-payment, can restart the clock. Don't sit on it; the facts and any proof of payment only get harder to gather with time.
How is this different from hiring a lawyer?
You get the same serve-ready notice, addressed in your own name, at a fraction of the cost and in minutes rather than days. We're a document tool, not a law firm — for a genuinely complex dispute, or one where the deposit is large enough that an hour of advice is worth it, we'll tell you when a lawyer is the better call.
Free preview · from ₹299 · ready in minutes
What this costs, and what you get for it
Not ready to send anything yet? Read the free step-by-step guide first
Been sent a notice yourself? Check what it means, free — upload the notice, summons or letter that landed on you and find out what it says and whether it's genuine, in plain English, Tamil, Telugu or Hindi. Nothing to pay, and it's a separate job from sending one of your own.
Agreements.co.in is a document service, not a law firm — we don't give legal advice or guarantee outcomes. You send the notice in your own name and confirm every detail before you pay.