Massachusetts Security Deposit Demand Letter
Direct answer
In Massachusetts, the landlord must return the deposit within 30 days. The deadline is measured from this trigger: Termination of tenancy/occupancy (end of the tenant's occupancy). The verified state formula is If landlord fails to return the deposit/balance within 30 days of tenancy termination, fails to provide required itemization, fails to pay required 5% annual interest, or otherwise violates §15B's deposit-handling requirements (e.g., commingling, no separate interest-bearing account, no bank transfer statement), the tenant may recover treble (3x) damages equal to three times the deposit or balance wrongfully withheld, PLUS 5% interest from the date payment became due, PLUS court costs and reasonable attorney's fees..
Key facts
| Deadline | 30 days |
|---|---|
| Deadline trigger | Termination of tenancy/occupancy (end of the tenant's occupancy) |
| Penalty formula | If landlord fails to return the deposit/balance within 30 days of tenancy termination, fails to provide required itemization, fails to pay required 5% annual interest, or otherwise violates §15B's deposit-handling requirements (e.g., commingling, no separate interest-bearing account, no bank transfer statement), the tenant may recover treble (3x) damages equal to three times the deposit or balance wrongfully withheld, PLUS 5% interest from the date payment became due, PLUS court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. |
| Bad faith required | No |
| Itemization required | Yes |
| Documentation threshold | Required whenever landlord withholds any portion of the deposit for damages - must provide an itemized list sworn under pains and penalties of perjury with supporting written evidence (estimates, bills, invoices, or receipts); no dollar threshold, applies to any deduction |
| Interest on deposit | Yes |
| Maximum deposit | 1 month's rent (plus, separately, first month's rent, last month's rent, and cost of a new lock may also be collected at move-in under c.186 §15B(1)(b)) |
| Forwarding address required | No |
| Small claims limit | $7,000statewide in Massachusetts District Court / Boston Municipal Court - Small Claims Session |
| Statute citation | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B |
Statute says
the lessor shall, within thirty days after the termination of occupancy...return to the tenant the security deposit or any balance thereof... damages in an amount equal to three times the amount of such security deposit or balance thereof...plus interest at the rate of five per cent from the date when such payment became due, together with court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
What this means
Read the deadline, trigger, and penalty together before sending a letter. Match the dates in your documents to the trigger listed above, then cite Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B and request the deposit amount supported by your records.
Worked example
Use your actual deposit amount when you write the letter. For context, median rent in Massachusetts is $1,848 according to US Census Bureau American Community Survey (via USAFacts compilation of ACS B25064 / Population Estimates Program) data as of .
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area: $2,023
- Worcester, MA Metro Area: $1,426
- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metro Area: $1,307
- Springfield, MA Metro Area: $1,136
Example demand basis: a deposit equal to the state median rent starts at $1,848 before applying the state formula: If landlord fails to return the deposit/balance within 30 days of tenancy termination, fails to provide required itemization, fails to pay required 5% annual interest, or otherwise violates §15B's deposit-handling requirements (e.g., commingling, no separate interest-bearing account, no bank transfer statement), the tenant may recover treble (3x) damages equal to three times the deposit or balance wrongfully withheld, PLUS 5% interest from the date payment became due, PLUS court costs and reasonable attorney's fees..
County small claims courts
| County | Court and city | Limit | Filing fee | E-filing | Court link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | Cambridge District Court, Cambridge (court sits in Medford) | $7,000 (statewide) | $40 (claims up to $500) / $50 (up to $2,000) / $100 (up to $5,000) / $150 ($5,001-$7,000), plus $7 e-filing fee if filed online | Yes | Court site |
| Worcester | Worcester District Court, Worcester | $7,000 (statewide) | $40-$150 tiered by claim amount, plus $7 e-filing fee if filed online | Yes | Court site |
| Essex | Salem District Court, Salem | $7,000 (statewide) | $40-$150 tiered by claim amount, plus $7 e-filing fee if filed online | Yes | Court site |
| Suffolk | Boston Municipal Court, Central Division, Boston | $7,000 (statewide) | $40-$150 tiered by claim amount, plus $7 e-filing fee if filed online | Yes | Court site |
| Norfolk | Dedham District Court, Dedham | $7,000 (statewide) | $40-$150 tiered by claim amount, plus $7 e-filing fee if filed online | Yes | Court site |
| Bristol | New Bedford District Court, New Bedford | $7,000 (statewide) | $40-$150 tiered by claim amount, plus $7 e-filing fee if filed online | Yes | Court site |
| Plymouth | Plymouth District Court, Plymouth | $7,000 (statewide) | $40-$150 tiered by claim amount, plus $7 e-filing fee if filed online | Yes | Court site |
| Hampden | Springfield District Court, Springfield | $7,000 (statewide) | $40-$150 tiered by claim amount, plus $7 e-filing fee if filed online | Yes | Court site |
| Barnstable | Barnstable District Court, Barnstable (Hyannis area) | $7,000 (statewide) | $40-$150 tiered by claim amount, plus $7 e-filing fee if filed online | Yes | Court site |
| Hampshire | Northampton District Court, Northampton | $7,000 (statewide) | $40-$150 tiered by claim amount, plus $7 e-filing fee if filed online | Yes | Court site |
| Berkshire | Pittsfield District Court, Pittsfield | $7,000 (statewide) | $40-$150 tiered by claim amount, plus $7 e-filing fee if filed online | Yes | Court site |
| Franklin | Greenfield District Court, Greenfield | $7,000 (statewide) | $40-$150 tiered by claim amount, plus $7 e-filing fee if filed online | Yes | Court site |
Free Massachusetts template, built from verified state data
I am requesting the return of my security deposit. The verified Massachusetts data for this page lists a 30 days return window and cites Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B.
Before you send
- Collect your lease, deposit receipt, and move-in records.
- Save photos, videos, and messages about move-out condition.
- Write down the move-out date you can prove.
- Confirm the forwarding address you gave the landlord.
- Send by certified mail when appropriate, and keep a copy of the final letter and delivery proof.
When this letter will NOT work
- The dispute is not about return of a security deposit.
- You need urgent court relief instead of a demand letter.
- You cannot identify the landlord or property manager to contact.
- Your documents point to a different state or a different kind of claim.
Typical mistakes
- Sending a letter before organizing the documents that prove the timeline.
- Demanding an amount that does not match the payment records.
- Leaving out the forwarding address or preferred response method.
- Mixing repair complaints into a deposit letter without separating the issues.
FAQ
Does Boston have its own security deposit law?
No separate city security-deposit ordinance is listed in the verified data. Check the applicable Massachusetts law and local rules.
Does Worcester have its own security deposit law?
No separate city security-deposit ordinance is listed in the verified data. Check the applicable Massachusetts law and local rules.
Does Springfield have its own security deposit law?
No separate city security-deposit ordinance is listed in the verified data. Check the applicable Massachusetts law and local rules.
Does Cambridge have its own security deposit law?
No separate city security-deposit ordinance is listed in the verified data. Check the applicable Massachusetts law and local rules.
Can I use this if I do not know the exact deposit amount?
Use the amount shown in your lease, receipt, or move-in records. If records conflict, keep copies and avoid guessing in the letter.
Should I send evidence with the first letter?
Attach copies when they prove the basic facts, such as payment, move-out condition, forwarding address, or prior messages.
Can this page replace legal advice?
No. This page is self-help information for organizing a demand letter and checking the cited data before you act.
City data on this page currently includes Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge, Lowell, Brockton, Quincy, Lynn, New Bedford, Fall River, Newton, Lawrence, Somerville, Framingham, Haverhill.
Tenant resources
- Massachusetts Legal Help - Security Deposits guide (statewide legal-aid network resource)legal aid
- Greater Boston Legal Services - Housing (free legal aid for low-income tenants, security deposit disputes)legal aid in Boston, (617) 371-1234
- City Life/Vida Urbana - tenant union / tenant association organizingtenant union in Boston (Jamaica Plain)
- Massachusetts Attorney General's Office - Consumer Advocacy & Response Division (Consumer Hotline; Guide to Landlord and Tenant Rights)ag consumer, (617) 727-8400
- Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities - housing/landlord-tenant helphotline, 617-573-1100