Five copy-paste prompts to prepare for move-out, ask for an itemized list, challenge unfair charges and write a calm, firm demand letter.
Getting a security deposit back is mostly about paperwork and timing. Landlords sometimes keep money for normal wear and tear, round charges up, or simply go quiet. Tenants who get the money back tend to have the same things: photos, a forwarding address in writing, a clear list of what they dispute and a letter that asks for a specific amount by a specific date.
AI is good at the parts that feel tedious or stressful. It can turn your notes into a move-out checklist, sort each deduction into "fair" and "worth disputing", and draft a letter that is firm without sounding angry. It can also help you rehearse a phone call if your landlord prefers to talk.
Two cautions. Deposit rules depend on where you live: return deadlines, what counts as damage and what happens when a landlord misses a deadline all vary by state or country, so check your local rules or a tenant help service before you quote them. And remove account numbers and anything you would not want stored before you paste documents into an AI chat. This is help with writing, not legal advice.
Replace every [bracket] with your real details, then paste into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Grok.
I am moving out of a [apartment / house] on [date]. Make me a room-by-room move-out checklist so I get my security deposit back: what to clean, what to photograph or video, what to repair myself and what to leave alone. Add a short list of documents to keep, and remind me to give my landlord a forwarding address in writing.
Use it a week before move-out. Photos with timestamps are your best evidence later.
My landlord kept [all / part] of my security deposit of [amount] for [address] and did not give a clear breakdown. Write a short, polite email asking for an itemized list of every deduction with the reason and cost for each, and copies of any receipts or invoices. My lease ended on [date] and my forwarding address is [address].
You cannot dispute what you cannot see, so get the list first.
Here are the deductions my landlord took from my deposit: [paste the list]. Here is what I know about the condition of the place: [notes, how long I lived there, move-in condition]. Sort each charge into likely normal wear and tear, likely fair damage, or unclear. Explain your reasoning in one line each and tell me which charges are worth disputing and what evidence would help. Remind me which points depend on local law.
Be honest in your notes. Disputing fair charges weakens the unfair ones.
Write a calm, firm letter to my former landlord, [name], asking for the return of [amount] from my security deposit for [address]. Lease dates: [start] to [end]. Move-out date: [date]. Forwarding address: [address]. Disputed charges: [list with one-line reasons]. Evidence I can attach: [photos, move-in checklist, receipts]. Ask for payment by [date, e.g. 14 days from today] and say that I will consider small claims court if it is not resolved. Keep it under 300 words, factual and not threatening.
Send it in a way you can prove, such as email plus tracked mail, and keep a copy.
My landlord wants to discuss my deposit by phone. Play my landlord, who is friendly but wants to keep [amount] for [reason]. Reply one message at a time. After 6 exchanges, step out of the role and tell me where I was clear, where I gave ground too fast, and a one-sentence summary I should send by email afterward to confirm what we agreed.
Always follow a phone call with a short written summary.
Situation: a tenant moved out after two years. The landlord kept $450 of a $1,200 deposit: $300 for repainting the living room and $150 for "cleaning", with no receipts.
What you paste: that list and your notes into Prompt 3. The AI marks the repainting as likely normal wear and tear after two years, unless there was real damage, and the cleaning as unclear without receipts or photos. It suggests attaching your move-out photos and asking for invoices.
Next: Prompt 2 drafts the request for an itemized list with receipts. When the reply has no invoices, Prompt 4 writes a short letter asking for the $450 back within 14 days, with your photos attached. You check your state’s deposit rules before quoting any deadline in the letter.
Yes. Give it your lease dates, deposit amount, the deductions you dispute, your evidence and a payment deadline, and it will draft a clear letter. Check any legal deadlines or penalties it mentions against your local rules before you send it.
Generally, gradual ageing from everyday living, such as faded paint, light scuffs or worn carpet in walkways, while damage is something like holes, burns, large stains or broken fixtures. Exact rules vary by location, so treat the AI’s sorting as a starting point.
Keep copies of everything and check your local options. Many places have tenant help services, and small claims court is often the next step for deposit disputes. The AI can help you organize your evidence and a timeline, but it cannot tell you the law for your exact situation.
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