Pennsylvania security deposit law
What if my landlord never sent an itemized statement in Pennsylvania?
The short answer
That is a violation in Pennsylvania: 68 P.S. § 250.512 requires an itemized statement of deductions within 30 days, and skipping it can forfeit the landlord's right to keep anything.
In Pennsylvania, the itemized statement is not a courtesy, it is a legal requirement: 68 P.S. § 250.512 obligates the landlord to list every deduction within 30 days of move out.
The consequence of skipping it is severe: a landlord who fails to provide the required itemization can forfeit the right to retain any portion of the deposit, even for deductions that might otherwise have been valid. Courts treat the procedure as the price of keeping a tenant's money.
Your move is the same either way: a demand letter that cites the requirement, states that no itemization was received within the 30 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 Magisterial District Court.
The Pennsylvania rules at a glance. Governing statute: 68 P.S. § 250.512. Return deadline: 30 days. Statutory damages: up to 2x the deposit for wrongful withholding. Court for disputes: Magisterial District Court, claims up to $12,000.
Looking for the rules beyond this state? My landlord kept my deposit and didn't give me an itemized statement
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