You've already tried asking. Now let us handle the hard part. We build your demand letter and your court paperwork, then walk you through filing it and serving your landlord — step by step. No legal maze, no guesswork. $99 flat fee; court filing and service costs are separate.
Security deposit disputes look simple until you actually try. Here's what we take completely off your hands.
Is your landlord an individual, an LLC, a trust, or a property management company? Suing the wrong party means losing before you start. We figure out the correct legal defendant so your filing sticks.
If the judge finds bad faith, you may recover the wrongfully withheld amount plus a penalty of up to 2× your full security deposit.
Before you ever see a courtroom, we send a demand letter and negotiate on your behalf. Many landlords pay up rather than go to court — which means you get your money back faster, with no hearing at all.
Court paperwork is confusing and gets rejected for obscure reasons. We prepare your SC-100 correctly for your specific court, so filing it is straightforward.
Your landlord must be formally served before the case can proceed — get it wrong and you start over. We walk you through filing and serving correctly, so there are no procedural mistakes that let them off the hook.
$99 is our fee for everything above. Court filing and service-of-process costs are separate — you pay the court and process server directly, at actual cost.
Check My Case →Most people give up because the process feels impossible. We take the hardest parts off your plate so you can focus on showing up and getting paid.
Tell us what your landlord did and share what you have — move-out date, deposit amount, any emails, texts, or photos. Takes about 3 minutes, done entirely online. We review everything you upload and build the strongest possible case — backed by the evidence a judge needs to rule in your favor.
We figure out who to sue, calculate your full damages, negotiate a settlement with your landlord, and prepare your SC-100 — the steps that trip people up most, done right the first time.
By hearing day, your case is filed and your landlord is served, following the step-by-step guide we built for you. You're not going in alone — that guide draws on AJ Lawyers' experience with hundreds of California cases, so you know what to expect and how to present your case.
Estimate your potential recovery — wrongful withholding plus up to 2× your full security deposit as a bad-faith penalty.
This calculator provides an estimate only. Actual damages depend on evidence, judge's findings, and whether bad faith is established. Not legal advice.
Examples of how California security deposit disputes typically resolve when tenants know their rights and have their case properly prepared.
Landlord withheld the full $1,800 deposit with no itemized statement — a clear violation of California's 21-day rule. The tenant had sent their own email asking for it back. No response. When AJ sent a formal demand letter on their behalf, citing the specific statutory violations and the bad-faith penalty exposure, the landlord paid in full within the week — before any court filing was needed.
Landlord withheld $750 and told the tenant: "Take me to court and I'll charge you $3,000 more." After AJ Lawyers filed and the summons was served, the landlord's position changed entirely — they settled for the $750 deposit plus $500 in court costs. Why? Because if the judge had found bad faith, the landlord was looking at the deposit back plus a penalty equal to twice the full security deposit. Settling for $1,250 was the cheaper option.
Landlord charged $1,200 to repaint after a 4-year tenancy. Under California law, interior paint depreciates fully over time; charging a long-term tenant for repainting is not allowed. The judge ruled it bad faith, and awarded $4,495, including the withheld amount, a bad-faith penalty, and court costs.
These are illustrative examples of how security deposit disputes commonly resolve in California. Individual outcomes vary based on the facts of each case.
Our service fee is $99, charged upfront. Court filing and service-of-process costs are separate — you pay the court and process server directly, at actual cost.
Answer a few questions and we'll come back to you within one business day with a straight answer about your options. No cost to ask.
A member of our team will reach out within one business day. Check your email for a confirmation. If you have your lease or the itemized deduction statement handy, keep them close — that'll make the conversation faster.