Your Illinois security deposit demand letter

November 4, 2026

VIA CERTIFIED MAIL — RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED

Dear Property Manager:

I rented the premises at 77 Rented Avenue, Springfield from you. My tenancy ended and I moved out on August 26, 2026. I paid a security deposit of $2,400.00.

You have returned $700.00 of that deposit. $1,700.00 remains unreturned.

Under 765 ILCS 710/1, you were required to return the deposit and an itemized statement of any deductions no later than October 10, 2026 — 45 calendar days after the later of the date your right of possession ended and the date you moved out. That date passed 25 days ago, and I have received no payment of the balance.

The statute also sets a separate 30-day deadline for a written itemized statement of any deductions — September 25, 2026.

You did not give me a written, itemized statement of the deductions you are keeping, although 765 ILCS 710/1 requires one.

1. The amount I am asking you to return

The deposit I paid was $2,400.00. You returned $700.00. The balance I am asking you to return is $1,700.00.

2. What the statute says

The rule that applies is 765 ILCS 710/1. The state's official source for it is listed for this state on locafact.com, and the fragments below are quoted from the statute text captured for this letter.

The statute describes the deductions a landlord may make as follows: A lessor may not withhold any part of the deposit as reimbursement for property damage unless, within 30 days of the date the lessee vacated or the date the lessee's right of possession ended (whichever is later), it furnished the lessee an itemized statement of the damage with the estimated or actual repair/replacement cost and paid receipts; if no statement and receipts are furnished, the deposit must be returned in full within 45 days of the date the lessee vacated; deductions must be for damage beyond normal wear and tear and costs not specified in a written lease do not qualify.

The deadline is measured in calendar days: 45 calendar days after the later of the date your right of possession ended and the date you moved out, which for the dates above is October 10, 2026.

“may not withhold any part of that deposit as reimbursement for property damage unless the lessor has, within 30 days of the date that the lessee vacated the leased premises or within 30 days of the date the lessee's right of possession ends, whichever is later, furnished to the lessee, by personal delivery, by postmarked mail directed to his or her last known address, or by electronic mail to a verified electronic mail address provided by the lessee, an itemized statement of the damage allegedly caused to the leased premises and the estimated or actual cost for repairing or replacing each item on that statement, attaching the paid receipts, or copies thereof, for the repair or replacement.”

“If no such statement and receipts, or copies thereof, are furnished to the lessee as required by this Section, the lessor shall return the security deposit in full within 45 days of the date that the lessee vacated the premises, delivered in person or by postmarked mail directed to the last known address of the lessee or another address provided by the lessee.”

“Costs specified in a written lease shall be for damage beyond normal wear and tear and reasonable to restore the leased premises to the same condition as at the time the lease began.”

“Upon a finding by a circuit court that a lessor has refused to supply the itemized statement required by this Section, or has supplied such statement in bad faith, and has failed or refused to return the amount of the security deposit due within the time limits provided, the lessor shall be liable for an amount equal to twice the amount of the security deposit due, together with court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.”

3. What the statute adds if the deposit is not returned

Because if the landlord refused to supply the itemized statement, or supplied it in bad faith, and also failed to return the deposit within the time limits, 765 ILCS 710/1 may also allow amounts above the unreturned balance:

• 2× the security deposit due to the tenant (the amount above the unreturned balance): $1,700.00

• reasonable attorney’s fees

• court costs

On the figures above, that is up to $1,700.00 in addition to the $1,700.00 unreturned balance — a possible total of up to $3,400.00. These amounts are not owed unless the condition the statute sets out is established; they are stated as the possible exposure, not as a demand.

4. What I am asking you to do

Please pay me $1,700.00 within ten (10) days of the date of this letter.

A check payable to me can be sent to the address at the top of this letter. If you believe some part of the deposit was properly kept, send me an itemized statement with the receipts or invoices for each amount.

If I do not receive payment or a written response within that time, I will consider filing a claim in small claims court for the unreturned deposit and any amount the statute allows, and I will keep this letter and the certified-mail record as evidence.

This is a self-help document, not legal advice, and no outcome is guaranteed.