If your landlord is sitting on your deposit, Connecticut law gives you a hard deadline and a real penalty — and a properly cited demand letter is how you invoke both. Here is exactly what Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 requires.
Connecticut's deposit rules at a glance
| Return deadline | Full deposit plus accrued interest, or the balance with an itemized statement, within 21 days of termination or 15 days after written notice of your forwarding address — whichever is later (§ 47a-21(d)) |
| The penalty | Liability for twice the amount of the security deposit for violations (§ 47a-21(d)); deposits capped at 2 months' rent (1 month for tenants 62+), escrowed with interest |
The 21/15-day structure
Under C.G.S. § 47a-21(d), your landlord must deliver — to your forwarding address — either the full deposit plus accrued interest, or the balance with a written statement itemizing the nature and amount of each claimed damage. The deadline is 21 days after termination or 15 days after the landlord receives written notice of your forwarding address, whichever is later. Send that address in writing immediately; it caps the clock. (The 21-day deadline is a recent tightening — older guides still say 30.)
Twice the deposit, by statute
The same subsection makes a violating landlord 'liable for twice the amount of any security deposit paid.' Note what that means: the doubling keys to the whole deposit, not just the withheld slice, and it attaches to violations of the return-and-itemize duty itself. Connecticut also routes complaints through the state Banking Commissioner, who regulates deposit escrow — a second pressure point your letter can mention.
Escrow and interest are mandatory
Connecticut treats your deposit as your money throughout: it must sit in an escrow account at a financial institution and earn interest, paid or credited annually and at move-out. A landlord who never escrowed the deposit or never paid interest has compliance problems that surface fast once a dispute starts.
Caps and the practical play
Deposits are capped at two months' rent — one month if you're 62 or older (and over-62 tenants can demand a refund of any excess mid-tenancy). The demand letter should state the amounts and dates, cite § 47a-21, note the doubled exposure, and set a short deadline before small claims and a Banking Department complaint. Connecticut's framework is tenant-friendly enough that most landlords' attorneys advise immediate payment.
What a strong Connecticut demand letter looks like
It states the deposit amount, the move-out date, the statutory deadline that passed, and the penalty exposure in dollars — citing Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 by name. Here's how the opening of a strong one reads:
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This guide is general information about Connecticut law, not legal advice. Statutes are paraphrased; verify current law for your situation. For significant or contested claims, consult a licensed Connecticut attorney.
Already hearing from a collection agency?
Landlords hand move-out balances to a small set of specialist collectors. If the letter is from National Credit Systems, Hunter Warfield, IQ Data International, or Source RM, we have a company-specific response guide for each — and the demand letter on this page still applies, because a landlord who missed the statutory deadline may owe you money regardless of who is calling. Any other collector: see the collection agency index and your state’s rules in the debt statute of limitations guide.