Your Landlord Sent a Claim Notice. How to Object Before the 15 Days Run Out

If your Florida landlord sent a written notice saying it intends to keep some or all of your deposit, you have 15 days from the day you received it to object in writing. If you object on time, the landlord cannot simply deduct the money and move on. If you stay silent, Florida law lets the landlord keep the amount it claimed. The objection is short, it is free, and it is the single most important thing you can do after that letter arrives.

What the notice is supposed to look like

Florida's security deposit statute requires a landlord who wants to keep any part of your deposit to send a written notice of its intention to impose a claim. The notice must state the amount and the reason (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(a)). The statute also provides standard language the notice should substantially follow, including a warning that you have 15 days to object.

Read the notice slowly and write down:

• The date on the notice.
• The date you actually received it, and how (certified mail, or e-mail under a signed e-mail notice agreement).
• Each amount claimed and the reason given for it.
• Whether the 15-day objection warning appears.

If the notice arrived more than 30 days after your rental agreement ended, or came by a method the law does not allow, that is a separate problem for the landlord. Our post on the missed 30-day deadline explains why. Object anyway. It costs nothing and preserves every argument.

How to count the 15 days

The clock runs from receipt, not from the date printed on the letter.

• Day 1 is the day after you received the notice.
• Count every calendar day, including weekends.
• Your written objection should go out well before day 15.

For certified mail, receipt is usually the day you signed for it. For e-mail sent under a valid signed addendum, the notice is treated as delivered when it was sent, whether or not you opened it, unless it was returned as undeliverable (Fla. Stat. § 83.505(4)). If the dates are close, do not wait to find out who is right. Send the objection now.

What happens if you do not object

If you do not object within 15 days, Florida law allows the landlord to deduct the amount claimed and send you whatever is left. The landlord then has a set period (30 days from the date of its notice) to return the balance (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(b)).

Missing the window does not always end the story (the statute preserves your right to seek damages in a separate action), but it hands the landlord a strong position. That is why speed matters more than polish.

What to put in your objection

Keep it short, factual, and in writing. A strong objection:

1. Identifies you, the rental address, and the date the rental agreement ended.
2. States that you object to the claim in the notice dated (date), received on (date).
3. Lists each charge you dispute and one sentence on why: pre-existing condition, normal wear and tear, already repaired, or no charge allowed by the lease.
4. Notes any problem with the notice itself, such as late delivery or the wrong delivery method.
5. Requests return of the disputed amount by a specific date.
6. Gives your current mailing address and e-mail.

You do not need legal words. You need dates, facts, and a clear "I object."

How to send it

Send it in a way you can prove later. Certified mail with a return receipt is the safest choice. If you and the landlord signed an e-mail notice agreement, e-mail to the designated address works too, but keep a copy of the sent message. Many tenants do both.

Keep copies of everything: the notice, the envelope, your objection, and the proof of delivery.

Do this now

1. Write down the date you received the claim notice.
2. Count 15 days and put the deadline on your calendar.
3. Pull your move-in and move-out photos, your lease, and any repair requests.
4. Draft your objection, charge by charge.
5. Send it by certified mail, and by e-mail if you have a signed e-mail notice agreement.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to object to every charge? Object to every charge you dispute. If you agree with one item, you can say so. Leaving a disputed charge out of your objection weakens your position on that charge.

Is a phone call or text enough? No. The objection should be in writing and sent in a way you can prove. A call or text is easy to deny later.

What if the notice came late? Object anyway, and say in your objection that the notice was late. A late or improperly delivered notice can cost the landlord the right to keep any of the deposit (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(a)), but whether that applies depends on your specific dates and documents.

What happens after I object? The landlord may return the money, offer a compromise, or refuse. If it refuses, the dispute can go to court, and in a Florida deposit lawsuit the winning side is generally entitled to court costs and a reasonable attorney's fee (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(c)).

The 15-day window is short on purpose. Use it. Take the 60-second quiz to see where your case stands, and use the deadline calculator to lock in your dates.

General information, not legal advice.