Wisconsin Tenants
A professional demand letter citing Wisconsin's security deposit rules (ATCP 134.06 with Wis. Stat. § 704.28 and § 100.20(5)), the 21-day return deadline, and the double-damages penalty. Ready in minutes.
Deadline
21 days
to return your deposit after move-out
Penalty
2× damages
via § 100.20(5), plus costs and fees
Statute
ATCP 134.06
Wisconsin Administrative Code
Under Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06, your landlord has 21 days after your tenancy ends to return your security deposit or provide a written, itemized statement of any deductions.
If the landlord wrongfully withholds any part of your deposit, you may recover the following under Wis. Stat. § 100.20(5):
So a $1,500 deposit wrongfully withheld can support a court judgment of $3,000 plus fees. Most landlords settle quickly once they realize you know the law.
Good to know: Wisconsin’s double-damages remedy comes from the pairing of ATCP 134.06 with Wis. Stat. § 100.20(5) — the two must be cited together. A landlord must provide a check-in sheet within 7 days or lose the right to make deductions. There is no statewide cap.
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 Wisconsin's deadlines under ATCP 134.06.
[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 ATCP 134.06, 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 Wisconsin 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]
21 days after you move out.
A violation of ATCP 134 — no return or withholdings statement within 21 days, or wrongful withholding — makes the landlord liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees via Wis. Stat. § 100.20(5). A landlord can also face criminal liability under § 100.26(3).
Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06 and Wis. Stat. § 704.28 and Wis. Stat. § 100.20(5). We verify these against the statute text itself; the date we last checked is shown on this page.
Sources & verification
The Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin statutes that apply to your situation.
ATCP 134.06, Wis. Stat. § 704.28, § 100.20(5), 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 Wisconsin landlords return the deposit within days of receiving a properly drafted demand letter.
Generate my letter — $39