# Ask for your security deposit back by Certified Mail

You moved out, and your former landlord has not returned your security
deposit, or kept part of it without a good reason. Most states set a deadline
for the refund and a penalty for a landlord who keeps a deposit in bad faith.
Your AI app writes the demand letter with you. We print it and mail it in your
name by USPS Certified Mail with return receipt.

- **Postal service:** Certified Mail with return receipt (USPS)
- **Price:** $14.99 for 1 page. The preview shows the full price.
- **Recorded:** Handover, delivery and signature recorded
- **Delivery:** Usually 3–5 business days after the handover to the post. Our print partner hands it over usually within 3 business days.
- **Proof:** The post records the delivery and the signature. We cannot get the signed record for you yet. [What a registered letter proves](https://agentletterdesk.com/guides/what-a-registered-letter-proves)

## Why a letter, not e-mail

- **Some states tie the refund to a written address.** In Texas, the
  landlord does not have to return the deposit until you give a written
  statement of your forwarding address
  ([Tex. Prop. Code § 92.107](https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._prop._code_section_92.107)).
  A letter to the landlord's mailing address, with a delivery record, shows
  when the landlord had it.
- **Before small claims court, you ask first.** In California you must ask
  the other side to pay before you file. A letter, an e-mail or a request in
  person all count
  ([California Courts](https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/small-claims/ask-for-money)).
  A letter with a USPS delivery record is easy to show to a judge, also when
  the landlord says that no e-mail arrived.
- **The deadline and the penalty depend on the state.** California: 21 days
  after you move out, and up to twice the deposit for bad faith
  ([Civ. Code § 1950.5](https://california.public.law/codes/civil_code_section_1950.5)).
  New York: 14 days, or the landlord loses the right to keep any of it
  ([GOL § 7-108](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/GOB/7-108)).
  Texas: 30 days ([§ 92.103](https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._prop._code_section_92.103)).

## Example to copy

> I moved out of my apartment at [address] on [date]. My landlord [name] has
> not returned my security deposit of [amount]. Write a demand letter to the
> landlord's address from my lease. Give my forwarding address, ask for the
> deposit or an itemized list of deductions by [date]. Then mail it by
> Certified Mail.

Your AI asks for the names, dates, amounts and addresses. It writes the letter
with you; it does not invent facts or deadlines.

## Good to know

- Check your state's rule. Deadlines, penalties and what the landlord may
  deduct differ by state. Your state's attorney general or courts website
  usually explains it.
- Send the letter to the address that your lease names for notices, if it
  names one.
- Add copies, not originals: move-out photos, the lease, the landlord's list.
  Your AI gives you a link to upload them.
- The letter carries your typed name, not a handwritten signature.

## FAQ

### Does the letter prove what I wrote?

No. USPS records the delivery and the signature, not the content. Keep the PDF
preview as your copy of the letter.

### Do I get the green return receipt card?

You get the tracking number and the USPS tracking link, which shows the
delivery. We cannot get the signed return receipt for you yet.

### Can you tell me what my landlord owes me?

No. We give no legal advice and do not check your case. Your state's rules,
a tenant organisation, legal aid or a lawyer can help.

### Can I send it from outside the United States?

No. USPS accepts only a US return address, so the sender must be in the
United States.

## Sources

Checked on 17 October 2026.

- [Texas Property Code § 92.103](https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._prop._code_section_92.103) (refund within 30 days), [§ 92.107](https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._prop._code_section_92.107) (written forwarding address), [§ 92.109](https://texas.public.law/statutes/tex._prop._code_section_92.109) (bad faith: $100, three times the amount withheld, attorney's fees)
- [California Civil Code § 1950.5](https://california.public.law/codes/civil_code_section_1950.5) (21 days, subdivision (h); bad faith, subdivision (m))
- [New York General Obligations Law § 7-108](https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/GOB/7-108) (14 days, subdivision 1-a)
- [California Courts: Ask for the money before you file](https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/small-claims/ask-for-money)

## Related

This page gives general information based on public sources. It is not
legal advice and not a check of your case.

- [What a registered letter proves](https://agentletterdesk.com/guides/what-a-registered-letter-proves)
- [Send a letter from Claude](https://agentletterdesk.com/guides/send-letter-from-claude)

## Use it with Claude, ChatGPT, Grok or Mistral Vibe

Before the launch, only invited testers can create an account. Everyone else can join the waitlist: https://agentletterdesk.com/waitlist.

Add Agent Letter Desk to your AI app once, with this server URL: `https://agentletterdesk.com/mcp`

- **Claude** (claude.ai, desktop and mobile): [Add to Claude](https://claude.ai/customize/connectors?modal=add-custom-connector&connectorName=Agent%20Letter%20Desk&connectorUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fagentletterdesk.com%2Fmcp) opens Claude with the name and the URL filled in. Select Add, then Connect. Sign in and allow access. In a chat, select + › Connectors and turn on Agent Letter Desk. By hand: Customize › Connectors › + Add › Add custom connector, then paste the URL.
- **ChatGPT** (chatgpt.com): copy the URL and [open ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/#settings/Connectors). Plugins › Add › Add custom MCP server. Paste the URL, choose OAuth, sign in and allow access. Worked on the Free plan when we checked (13 October 2026). OpenAI decides which plans can add one.
- **Grok** (grok.com): copy the URL and [open Grok's connectors](https://grok.com/connectors). New connector › Custom. Enter a name and paste the URL. Sign in and allow access in the window that opens. In a chat, type @ and pick Agent Letter Desk (Grok uses a connector only when you select it).
- **Mistral Vibe** (chat.mistral.ai, formerly Le Chat): copy the URL and [open Mistral Vibe's connectors](https://chat.mistral.ai/connections). + Add Connector › Custom MCP Connector. Enter a name without spaces, such as AgentLetterDesk, and paste the URL. Sign in and allow access. In a chat, select + › Connectors › Agent Letter Desk (without this step, Mistral Vibe may write the letter itself). Works on the free plan.

You sign in with your e-mail address or your Google account. Then ask your AI for the letter. You check the preview and the price. Nothing goes out without your yes.

Prices, destinations and the rules for every letter: [All prices and destinations](https://agentletterdesk.com/#destinations) · [How it works](https://agentletterdesk.com/#how) · [Safeguards](https://agentletterdesk.com/#safeguards) · [Terms](https://agentletterdesk.com/terms) · [Full facts for AI agents](https://agentletterdesk.com/llms-full.txt)

Facts checked on 17 October 2026.