New York security deposit law
What if my landlord never sent an itemized statement in New York?
The short answer
That is a violation in New York: N.Y. Gen. Oblig. § 7-103 / § 7-108 requires an itemized statement of deductions within 14 days, and it strips the landlord's justification for withholding.
In New York, the itemized statement is not a courtesy, it is a legal requirement: N.Y. Gen. Oblig. § 7-103 / § 7-108 obligates the landlord to list every deduction within 14 days of move out.
Skipping it matters: without an itemization, the landlord has no documented justification for keeping your money, and a court has nothing to weigh on their side.
Your move is the same either way: a demand letter that cites the requirement, states that no itemization was received within the 14 days deadline, and demands the full deposit with the statutory exposure of up to 2x the deposit spelled out. Send it certified. A landlord who ignored the paperwork rarely wants to explain that to a judge in Small Claims Court (NYC; varies elsewhere).
The New York rules at a glance. Governing statute: N.Y. Gen. Oblig. § 7-103 / § 7-108. Return deadline: 14 days. Statutory damages: up to 2x the deposit for wrongful withholding. Attorney's fees: recoverable in qualifying cases. Court for disputes: Small Claims Court (NYC; varies elsewhere), claims up to $10,000.
Looking for the rules beyond this state? My landlord kept my deposit and didn't give me an itemized statement
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