Pennsylvania Security Deposit Demand Letter
Direct answer
In Pennsylvania, the landlord must return the deposit within 30 days. The deadline is measured from this trigger: Termination of the lease or upon surrender and acceptance of the leasehold premises, whichever first occurs. The verified state formula is Two separate penalties, no bad-faith/willfulness requirement: (1) failure to provide the written itemized damage list within 30 days = forfeiture of ALL rights to withhold any portion of the escrowed sum (i.e., must return 100% of deposit + any unpaid interest); (2) if landlord fails to pay the tenant the difference between the deposit (plus unpaid interest) and actual damages within 30 days, landlord is liable in assumpsit for DOUBLE the amount by which the deposit exceeds actual damages, with burden of proof on actual damages resting on the landlord under 68 P.S. §§ 250.511a (Escrow Funds Limited, codified from Section 511.1 of the Act), 250.511b (Interest on Escrow Funds, Section 511.2), 250.511c (Bond in Lieu of Escrowing, Section 511.3), 250.512 (Recovery of Improperly Held Escrow Funds) - The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, Act of Apr. 6, 1951, P.L. 69, No. 20, as amended.
Key facts
| Deadline | 30 days |
|---|---|
| Deadline trigger | termination of the lease or upon surrender and acceptance of the leasehold premises, whichever first occurs |
| Penalty formula | Two separate penalties, no bad-faith/willfulness requirement: (1) failure to provide the written itemized damage list within 30 days = forfeiture of ALL rights to withhold any portion of the escrowed sum (i.e., must return 100% of deposit + any unpaid interest); (2) if landlord fails to pay the tenant the difference between the deposit (plus unpaid interest) and actual damages within 30 days, landlord is liable in assumpsit for DOUBLE the amount by which the deposit exceeds actual damages, with burden of proof on actual damages resting on the landlord. |
| Bad faith required | No |
| Itemization required | Yes |
| Documentation threshold | Applies to any deductions claimed; also, the interest-escrow requirement (§511.2) applies only to funds over $100, and only starting after the second anniversary of the deposit (year 3+) |
| Interest on deposit | Yes |
| Maximum deposit | Year 1 of lease: max 2 months' rent (68 P.S. §250.511a(a)). Year 2+ / renewals: max 1 month's rent (§250.511a(b)). No increase permitted after 5 years' tenancy (§250.511a(d)). |
| Forwarding address required | Yes |
| Small claims limit | $12,000statewide in Magisterial District Court (also called District Court) |
| Statute citation | 68 P.S. §§ 250.511a (Escrow Funds Limited, codified from Section 511.1 of the Act), 250.511b (Interest on Escrow Funds, Section 511.2), 250.511c (Bond in Lieu of Escrowing, Section 511.3), 250.512 (Recovery of Improperly Held Escrow Funds) - The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, Act of Apr. 6, 1951, P.L. 69, No. 20, as amended |
Statute says
Section 512. Recovery of Improperly Held Escrow Funds.--(a) Every landlord shall within thirty days of termination of a lease or upon surrender and acceptance of the leasehold premises, whichever first occurs, provide a tenant with a written list of any damages to the leasehold premises for which the landlord claims the tenant is liable. Delivery of the list shall be accompanied by payment of the difference between any sum deposited in escrow, including any unpaid interest thereon, for the payment of damages to the leasehold premises and the actual amount of damages to the leasehold premises caused by the tenant. ... (b) Any landlord who fails to provide a written list within thirty days as required in subsection (a), above, shall forfeit all rights to withhold any portion of sums held in escrow, including any unpaid interest thereon... (c) If the landlord fails to pay the tenant the difference between the sum deposited, including any unpaid interest thereon, and the actual damages to the leasehold premises caused by the tenant within thirty days after termination of the lease or surrender and acceptance of the leasehold premises, the landlord shall be liable in assumpsit to double the amount by which the sum deposited in escrow... exceeds the actual damages...
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 68 P.S. §§ 250.511a (Escrow Funds Limited, codified from Section 511.1 of the Act), 250.511b (Interest on Escrow Funds, Section 511.2), 250.511c (Bond in Lieu of Escrowing, Section 511.3), 250.512 (Recovery of Improperly Held Escrow Funds) - The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, Act of Apr. 6, 1951, P.L. 69, No. 20, as amended 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 Pennsylvania is $1,162 according to U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, Table B25064 (Median Gross Rent); state figure per Pennsylvania State Data Center Research Brief data as of .
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metro Area: $1,480
- Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metro Area: $1,365
- Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metro Area: $1,212
- Pittsburgh, PA Metro Area: $1,053
- Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA Metro Area: $1,003
Example demand basis: a deposit equal to the state median rent starts at $1,162 before applying the state formula: Two separate penalties, no bad-faith/willfulness requirement: (1) failure to provide the written itemized damage list within 30 days = forfeiture of ALL rights to withhold any portion of the escrowed sum (i.e., must return 100% of deposit + any unpaid interest); (2) if landlord fails to pay the tenant the difference between the deposit (plus unpaid interest) and actual damages within 30 days, landlord is liable in assumpsit for DOUBLE the amount by which the deposit exceeds actual damages, with burden of proof on actual damages resting on the landlord..
County small claims courts
| County | Court and city | Limit | Filing fee | E-filing | Court link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia County | Philadelphia Municipal Court, Small Claims Division (Civil, up to $12,000; First Judicial District of Pennsylvania), Philadelphia | $12,000 | Statewide filing fee: Tiered by claim amount, in the same general statewide-published $58-$100+ range plus $27 (in-Philadelphia) or $45 (elsewhere in PA) per-defendant service fee; see official fee PDF at courts.phila.gov/pdf/municipal/resources/small-claims/filings-fees.pdf - not independently line-item verified in this pass | Not verified | Official court website Court page check not recorded |
| Allegheny County | Magisterial District Court (MDJ), Fifth Judicial District - 46 district courts, Pittsburgh | $12,000 (statewide) | Statewide filing fee: Statewide MDJ tiered filing fee, approx. $58.25-$99.25 depending on claim amount (secondary-sourced; not verified against a primary Allegheny fee schedule in this pass) | No | Official court website Court page check not recorded |
| Montgomery County | Magisterial District Court (MDJ) - 29 district courts, Norristown | $12,000 (statewide) | Statewide filing fee: Statewide MDJ tiered filing fee, approx. $58.25-$99.25 depending on claim amount (secondary-sourced) | No | Official court website Court page check not recorded |
See all 67 county small claims courts and filing fees
Free Pennsylvania template, built from verified state data
I rented [rental property address] from [lease start date] to [move-out date]. I paid a security deposit of $[amount]. I returned the keys on [date] and gave you my forwarding address in writing on [date]. Under Pennsylvania law (68 P.S. §§ 250.511a, 250.511b, 250.511c, 250.512), a landlord must return the deposit or send a written, itemized list of deductions within 30 days after termination of the lease or upon surrender and acceptance of the leasehold premises, whichever first occurs.
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.
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.
Local ordinances
FAQ
Does Philadelphia have its own security deposit law?
Philadelphia has its own local ordinance (Philadelphia Code Chapter 9-800 (Landlord and Tenant), as amended by Bill No. 250044-A - Move-In Affordability Plan (security deposit installment option, effective Dec 2, 2025, for landlords with 3+ units)). The deposit rules on this page come from Pennsylvania law.
Does Pittsburgh have its own security deposit law?
No separate city security-deposit ordinance is listed in the verified data. Check the applicable Pennsylvania law.
Does Allentown have its own security deposit law?
No separate city security-deposit ordinance is listed in the verified data. Check the applicable Pennsylvania law.
Does Reading have its own security deposit law?
No separate city security-deposit ordinance is listed in the verified data. Check the applicable Pennsylvania law.
What is the small claims limit in Pennsylvania?
See the applicable court limits and jurisdictions in the state court guide. Pennsylvania small claims courts and filing fees
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 Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Reading, Erie, Upper Darby, Scranton, Lower Merion, Bensalem, Abington, Bethlehem, Lancaster.
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.
Tenant resources
- PALawHELP.org (Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network) - statewide legal aid directory and Security Deposits guidelegal aid
- Community Legal Services of Philadelphia - Housing Unitlegal aid in Philadelphia
- Philadelphia Tenants Uniontenant union in Philadelphia, 267-289-2102
- Tenant Union Representative Network (TURN) - Philly Tenant Hotlinetenant union in Philadelphia, 267-443-2500
- Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Bureau of Consumer Protectionag consumer, 1-800-441-2555