The rule that decides most of these cases

Within 21 calendar days of you moving out, a landlord has to either return your full deposit or send an itemized written statement explaining exactly what was deducted and why. Calendar days, not business days, weekends count. Miss that deadline entirely, with no statement and no refund, and a landlord can lose the right to keep any of it, even if there was real damage. That single fact resolves a large share of these disputes before a hearing ever happens, which is exactly why it belongs in a demand letter.

What actually counts as a valid deduction

Normal wear and tear (worn carpet, minor scuffs, faded paint from ordinary living) isn't deductible. Actual damage beyond normal use can be, but for any single deduction over $125, the law generally expects an attached receipt or invoice, not just a number on a page. A landlord who writes "carpet cleaning: $600" with nothing backing it up is on much weaker ground than the deposit statement itself suggests.

What to gather before you file

Evidence checklist
✓Move-in and move-out photos or video, dated if possible
✓Any signed move-in/move-out inspection or condition report
✓Your lease, showing the deposit amount
✓The landlord's itemized statement, or proof none was ever sent
✓Your own repair estimates, if you want to dispute a specific charge

What a demand letter should say here

Cite the move-out date, note whether the 21-day window has already passed, and ask for the full deposit back (or the undocumented portion of it) by a specific date. Landlords who know the rule often settle at this stage rather than defend an itemization they can't back up with receipts.