Hi there!

Does anyone know how long a landlord can keep a tenant's deposit after the lease is finished?

I moved out June 23rd, my lease was up June 30th and today... it's August 14th and I still haven't received my deposit back. I received a letter from the apartment complex saying I was to be refunded $100... but I haven't seen a dime. And yes, they have my forwarding address.

How long do they have before they are supposed to send it back??

Thank you!
Michelle

We need to know where you're located. Every state has different time limits for the return of the security deposit.

If you want to check for yourself you can look here:

Chart: Deadline for Returning Security Deposits, State-by-State - Real Estate

Oops! I'm sorry!

I live in Polk County... in Iowa.

Thank you!

Thank you LisaB4657!!

So what can I do since it's past 30 days?

Thank you!

File a lawsuit. Don't even waste your time writing a letter or calling. Just go into court and file. You can probably do it in small claims court.