Alabama Tenants
A professional demand letter citing Alabama's deposit statute (Ala. Code § 35-9A-201), the 60-day return deadline, and the double-deposit penalty for noncompliance. Ready in minutes.
Deadline
60 days
to return your deposit after move-out
Penalty
2× deposit
for missing the 60-day deadline
Statute
§ 35-9A-201
Code of Alabama
Under Ala. Code § 35-9A-201, your landlord has 60 days after your tenancy ends to return your security deposit or provide a written, itemized list of deductions. (Many outdated sources still cite an old 35-day figure — a 2014 amendment changed it to 60.)
If the landlord fails to mail a timely refund or itemized accounting within the 60-day window, you may recover:
So on a $1,500 deposit, a landlord who misses the 60-day mailing deadline can owe a $3,000 penalty — even if only part of the deposit was in dispute. Most landlords settle quickly once they realize you know the law.
Good to know: Alabama caps security deposits at one month’s rent (with limited exceptions for pets, undue risk, or tenant alterations).
Watch for outdated info: Sources citing a 35-day Alabama deadline are stale — a 2014 amendment moved it to 60 days.
Every letter follows the structure courts expect — your facts, the statute, a specific demand, and a deadline. Here's the skeleton; the generator fills the brackets from your answers and computes Alabama's deadlines under § 35-9A-201.
[Date]
[Your name]
[Your forwarding address]
[Landlord's name and address]
RE: Security Deposit — Formal Demand for Return of $[Amount]
I am the former tenant of [rental property address]. You accepted a security deposit of $[Amount], and my tenancy ended on [move-out date]. My forwarding address for return of the deposit is stated above, which I am providing to you in writing.
Under § 35-9A-201, you were required to [return the deposit or provide an itemized statement] within [the statutory period]. That period has passed, and you have done neither. [The specific consequence Alabama law attaches, cited by section.]
I demand return of $[Amount] no later than [deadline]. If I do not receive it, I am prepared to pursue all remedies available under [statute], including filing suit in the appropriate court.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
60 days after you move out.
If the landlord fails to mail a timely refund or itemized accounting within the 60-day window, you may recover double the amount of your original deposit under § 35-9A-201(f).
Ala. Code § 35-9A-201. We verify these against the statute text itself; the date we last checked is shown on this page.
Sources & verification
The Alabama rules on this page were verified against the statute text itself:
Last verified against primary sources on .
How we verify this →Laws change. If you spot something out of date, tell us at support@gettenantshield.com and we'll correct it.
Properly formatted, addressed to your landlord by name, citing the exact Alabama statutes that apply to your situation.
Ala. Code § 35-9A-201 and any others triggered by your circumstances — not generic legalese.
The letter computes the exact dollar amount you're entitled to demand based on your deposit and the deductions at issue.
Download instantly, print, sign, and send via USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt.
Most Alabama landlords return the deposit within days of receiving a properly drafted demand letter.
Generate my letter — $39