When a Florida tenant moves out, the landlord may discover property damage, missing items, cleaning issues, or have other charges for unpaid rent or other charges. The landlord may believe the security deposit should cover some or all of those amounts.
But Florida landlords need to be careful.
If a landlord intends to impose a claim on a residential tenant’s security deposit, Florida law requires a written notice. That notice must be sent within the required deadline and must state the amount of the claim and the reason for it.
The difficult question is often not whether a notice is required. The harder question is what the notice should say.
What amounts can be included? How detailed should the landlord be? What if repair invoices are not final yet? Can the landlord use general categories like “damages” or “cleaning”? Should each deduction be listed separately?
This article explains practical considerations for preparing a Florida security deposit claim notice, especially when the landlord is deciding what amounts to include and how to describe them.
The Basic Rule: State the Amount and the Reason
Florida’s statutory notice form says:
This is a notice of my intention to impose a claim for damages in the amount of ___ upon your security deposit, due to ___.
That language matters. The notice is supposed to identify both:
- The amount claimed
- The reason for the claim
The statute does not say that the landlord must attach every invoice, estimate, photograph, or lease ledger to the notice. It also does not provide a detailed itemization format.
However, from a practical and litigation-risk standpoint, a landlord should usually provide more than a vague one-line statement.
A notice that clearly explains the deduction is generally stronger than a notice that simply says “damages” or “repairs.”
What Amounts Can Be Included in a Florida Security Deposit Claim Notice?
A landlord may generally include amounts that are legally chargeable to the tenant under the lease, Florida law, and the facts of the tenancy. Common categories include:
- Unpaid rent
- Late fees, if recoverable under the lease and applicable law
- Utility charges owed by the tenant, if the lease makes the tenant responsible
- Damage beyond ordinary wear and tear
- Missing keys, remotes, access cards, or gate devices
- Cleaning charges, if justified by the condition of the property and lease terms
- Trash removal or removal of abandoned items
- Replacement of missing or damaged landlord property
- Repair costs caused by tenant misuse, negligence, or lease violations
- Other charges expressly allowed by the lease
The key point is that the amount should be tied to a legitimate basis. The security deposit notice should not be used to punish the tenant, inflate charges, or claim ordinary turnover expenses that are part of normal property ownership.
Unpaid Rent as a Security Deposit Claim
Unpaid rent is one of the most common amounts included in a security deposit claim notice.
For example, if the tenant vacates owing one month of rent, the landlord may typically identify the unpaid rent as part of the claim against the deposit. The notice might state:
- “Unpaid rent for March 2026: $2,500”
- “Unpaid rent balance through lease termination: $1,850”
- “Rent ledger balance as of move-out: $3,200”
The landlord should keep the rent ledger, lease, notices, payment records, and any eviction filings or judgment documents if applicable.
If the landlord has already obtained an eviction judgment or money judgment, the landlord should be careful to avoid confusion or double recovery. The notice should be consistent with the landlord’s ledger and any court filings.
Damage Beyond Ordinary Wear and Tear
Damage claims require careful wording. A landlord should distinguish between actual tenant-caused damage and ordinary wear and tear.
Examples of potentially claimable damage may include:
- Broken doors
- Holes in walls beyond ordinary nail holes
- Damaged flooring beyond normal use
- Broken appliances caused by misuse
- Missing fixtures
- Damaged cabinets or countertops
- Pet-related damage
- Unauthorized alterations
- Water damage caused by tenant conduct
A notice that says only “damages to unit” may invite a dispute. A better notice identifies the damaged areas or items.
For example:
- “Repair of damaged bedroom door: $275”
- “Drywall repair for holes in living room and hallway: $425”
- “Replacement of missing refrigerator shelf and damaged crisper drawer: $180”
- “Pet-related carpet cleaning and deodorizing: $350”
This type of breakdown helps show that the landlord is making a specific claim, not a general complaint.
Cleaning Charges
Cleaning charges can be sensitive because tenants often argue that cleaning is part of ordinary turnover.
A landlord should consider whether the condition of the property exceeded normal move-out cleaning. Useful descriptions may include:
- Excessive trash removal
- Stained appliances
- Food or debris left behind
- Heavy bathroom cleaning
- Pet odor treatment
- Removal of abandoned personal property
- Cleaning required beyond ordinary turnover condition
The notice should avoid vague phrases like “cleaning fee” unless the lease clearly allows a flat cleaning charge and the facts support it.
A stronger line item might say:
- “Excessive cleaning due to trash, food debris, and stained appliances: $300”
- “Removal of abandoned furniture and trash from premises: $450”
Missing Items, Keys, Remotes, and Access Devices
Landlords may often include replacement costs for missing property, keys, mailbox keys, garage remotes, pool fobs, gate clickers, parking decals, or access cards.
The notice should identify the missing item and amount.
Examples:
- “Garage remote not returned: $85”
- “Mailbox key replacement: $45”
- “Gate access fob replacement: $100”
- “Missing window screen replacement: $125”
Small line items can still matter, especially when the notice is being used to document a full deposit accounting.
Lease-Based Charges
Some leases include specific charges for early termination, unauthorized pets, HOA violations, lock replacement, cleaning, pest treatment, or administrative fees. Whether those amounts can be included depends on the lease language, the facts, and applicable law.
A landlord should not assume that every lease charge is automatically enforceable. Before including a lease-based charge in the security deposit claim notice, review:
- The lease provision
- Whether the charge was actually triggered
- Whether the amount is fixed or must be supported by actual cost
- Whether the charge could be challenged as excessive or improper
- Whether the tenant received any required prior notice
If the charge is based on the lease, the notice should say so clearly.
Example:
- “Lease-authorized charge for unauthorized pet cleaning and deodorizing: $375”
- “Unpaid lease charge for replacement of unreturned access devices: $150”
How Detailed Should the Line Items Be?
Florida law provides a short statutory form. It does not require the notice to look like a contractor invoice. But itemization is usually the safer practice.
A useful security deposit claim notice should be detailed enough that the tenant can understand:
- What is being claimed
- Why it is being claimed
- How much is being claimed for each category
- Whether any portion of the deposit will be returned
- Where the tenant must send an objection
A practical format is:
| Claim Item | Reason | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Unpaid rent | Rent balance for April 2026 | $2,400 |
| Drywall repair | Holes in living room and bedroom | $525 |
| Cleaning | Excessive cleaning after move-out | $300 |
| Trash removal | Furniture and debris left at property | $250 |
| Gate remote | Not returned at move-out | $75 |
| Total Claim | $3,550 |
The notice can then state whether the total claim exceeds the deposit or whether a balance will be returned.
Can the Landlord Use a General Amount?
A general amount can be risky.
For example, this is not ideal:
“Claim against security deposit: $2,000 for damages.”
That language gives the tenant little information. It may technically identify an amount and a reason, but it creates avoidable risk because the tenant may argue that the notice was vague, unsupported, or not meaningfully informative.
A better approach is:
“Claim against security deposit: $2,000, consisting of $950 for unpaid rent, $600 for drywall and door repairs, $300 for excessive cleaning, and $150 for replacement of missing gate remotes and mailbox keys.”
Even better, the landlord should identify the rooms, items, or lease charges involved.
General categories may be acceptable as summaries if they are supported by specific line items. For instance:
- “Repairs: $1,250” is less useful by itself.
- “Repairs: $1,250, including damaged interior door, drywall holes, and broken closet shelving” is better.
- “Repairs: $1,250, including damaged primary bedroom door ($375), drywall repair in hallway and living room ($525), and broken closet shelving ($350)” is stronger.
What If the Exact Amount Is Not Known Yet?
This is one of the most important practical problems for landlords.
Florida gives landlords a deadline to send the claim notice. If the landlord intends to impose a claim, the notice must be provided within 30 days after termination of the rental agreement. If the landlord fails to give the required written notice within that period, the landlord may lose the ability to impose a claim against the security deposit.
That creates a timing problem. Contractors may not have completed repairs. Vendors may not have sent invoices. The landlord may still be collecting estimates.
Florida law does not provide a detailed “pending invoice” procedure. Because the statutory form calls for a claim “in the amount of” a stated sum, landlords should be cautious about open-ended language such as:
- “Amount to be determined”
- “All damages to be calculated later”
- “Unknown repair costs”
- “Pending further inspection”
Those phrases may not satisfy the purpose of stating the amount of the claim.
Using Good-Faith Estimates for Undetermined Amounts
When the exact amount is not final, a landlord may consider using a good-faith estimate based on the information available before the deadline.
For example:
- A contractor estimate
- A vendor quote
- Historical cost for similar repairs
- A maintenance company estimate
- A preliminary invoice
- A reasonable calculation from the rent ledger
- Replacement cost documentation
The notice should make clear that the amount is being claimed based on available information.
Example wording:
“Drywall and interior door repair: $850, based on contractor estimate received after move-out inspection.”
Or:
“Carpet cleaning and pet odor treatment: $425, based on vendor quote dated May 10, 2026.”
Or:
“Trash and furniture removal: $600, based on estimate from removal company; final invoice pending.”
The goal is to avoid a vague “TBD” claim while still being accurate about the status of the documentation.
Should the Landlord Overestimate to Protect the Claim?
Landlords should be careful about overestimating.
A landlord may feel pressure to claim the highest possible number before the 30-day deadline. But an inflated estimate can create problems. If the tenant objects, the landlord may need to justify the amount. A court may look more favorably on a reasonable, documented claim than on a broad, unsupported number.
A better approach is to use a reasonable, supportable estimate and keep the backup documentation.
The landlord should avoid:
- Guessing without documentation
- Claiming full replacement cost when repair may be sufficient
- Charging for upgrades
- Charging for ordinary wear and tear
- Duplicating the same charge under multiple categories
- Claiming a round number with no explanation
- Inflating estimates because the final invoice is unknown
The claim should be tied to evidence.
What If the Final Invoice Is Higher Than the Notice Amount?
This can be a difficult issue.
Because the notice is the landlord’s notice of intention to impose a claim against the deposit, the landlord should not assume it can later increase the deposit deduction beyond what was properly noticed. If the actual damages exceed the amount claimed against the deposit, the landlord may need to evaluate whether to pursue the additional amount separately.
For example, if the landlord notices a $1,500 claim against a $2,000 deposit and later receives invoices totaling $2,300, the landlord should be cautious about simply keeping an additional $800 without proper analysis.
The safer practice is to:
- Send the best supported claim notice within the deadline
- State the line items clearly
- Preserve all estimates and invoices
- Return any undisputed balance when required
- Evaluate whether additional damages must be pursued separately
What If the Final Invoice Is Lower Than the Notice Amount?
If the final cost is lower than the amount claimed, the landlord should not keep more than the supported amount.
For example, if the notice claims $900 for a repair based on an estimate, but the final invoice is $650, the landlord should account for the difference. Keeping an unsupported surplus can increase the chance of a tenant dispute.
The landlord should update the accounting internally and return any required balance.
Can the Landlord Attach Estimates or Invoices?
The statutory form does not require attachments, but attaching documentation can be helpful in many cases.
Useful attachments may include:
- Rent ledger
- Contractor estimates
- Repair invoices
- Cleaning invoices
- Trash removal invoices
- Photos
- Move-in and move-out inspection reports
- Replacement receipts
- Lease provisions supporting specific charges
There is a strategic balance. A notice does not need to become a full lawsuit packet. But if the landlord already has clean documentation, including it can make the claim more credible and may reduce objections.
At minimum, the landlord should keep all supporting documents in case the tenant objects.
How to Break Down Line Items in the Notice
A clear line-item format is often the best approach.
Instead of writing:
“$3,000 for unpaid rent, damages, cleaning, and repairs.”
Use:
| Item | Explanation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Unpaid rent | May 2026 rent balance | $2,100 |
| Late fee | Lease-authorized late fee for May 2026 | $150 |
| Door repair | Damaged primary bedroom door | $375 |
| Drywall repair | Holes in hallway and living room | $425 |
| Cleaning | Excessive cleaning after move-out | $275 |
| Trash removal | Furniture and debris left at premises | $300 |
| Total claim | $3,625 |
This structure makes it easier for the tenant, the landlord, and a court to understand what is being claimed.
Tips for Drafting Strong Security Deposit Claim Notices
1. Do Not Wait Until the Last Few Days
Start gathering amounts immediately after move-out. Waiting until the deadline creates pressure and increases the risk of vague or incomplete claims.
2. Use the Statutory Language
The notice should substantially follow Florida’s statutory form. The statutory language includes the claim amount, reason, tenant objection deadline, and address for objections.
3. Itemize Whenever Possible
Even if a detailed itemization is not expressly required, a line-item breakdown is usually better. It shows the claim is based on actual categories, not a general deduction.
4. Avoid Vague Descriptions
Avoid descriptions like:
- “Damages”
- “Repairs”
- “Cleaning”
- “Lease violations”
- “Miscellaneous charges”
Use more specific descriptions:
- “Drywall repair for holes in hallway”
- “Replacement of damaged interior bedroom door”
- “Unpaid rent for April 2026”
- “Removal of abandoned furniture and trash”
- “Pet odor treatment based on vendor estimate”
5. Identify the Source of the Amount
If the number is based on an invoice, say so. If it is based on an estimate, say so. If it comes from the lease ledger, say so.
Examples:
- “Based on rent ledger”
- “Based on contractor estimate”
- “Based on vendor invoice”
- “Based on replacement receipt”
- “Based on lease-authorized charge”
6. Be Careful With Round Numbers
Round numbers are not automatically improper, but they can look unsupported if not explained. “$1,000 for damages” is weaker than “$1,000 for damaged bedroom door, drywall repair, and broken closet shelving based on contractor estimate.”
7. Separate Rent From Physical Damage
Do not lump everything together. Rent, repairs, cleaning, missing items, and lease charges should be separated when possible.
8. Do Not Charge for Ordinary Wear and Tear
A landlord should not use the security deposit to refresh the property at the tenant’s expense. Normal aging, ordinary use, and routine turnover costs should be treated differently from tenant-caused damage.
9. Do Not Double Count
Avoid charging the same issue under multiple categories. For example, do not charge both “cleaning” and “trash removal” for the exact same work unless they are genuinely separate services.
10. Keep Backup Documentation
The notice is only part of the process. If the tenant objects, the landlord may need to prove the claim. Keep photos, invoices, estimates, inspection reports, ledgers, and communications.
Sample Format for a Florida Security Deposit Claim Notice Breakdown
A practical notice may include the statutory language followed by a breakdown such as:
Security Deposit Claim Breakdown
| Claim | Basis | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Unpaid rent | Rent balance for May 2026 per lease ledger | $2,200 |
| Drywall repair | Holes in living room and hallway, contractor estimate | $475 |
| Interior door repair | Damaged primary bedroom door | $350 |
| Cleaning | Excessive cleaning required after move-out | $250 |
| Trash removal | Furniture and debris left at premises | $325 |
| Missing gate remote | Replacement of unreturned access device | $75 |
| Total Claim Against Security Deposit | $3,675 |
If the security deposit is less than the total claim, the notice can state:
“Because the total claim exceeds the security deposit, no balance is being returned at this time.”
If the claim is less than the deposit, the notice should clearly identify the balance to be returned.
Sample Language for Pending or Estimated Amounts
When final invoices are not available, the landlord may consider language such as:
“The amounts listed below are based on invoices, estimates, vendor quotes, and the landlord’s rent ledger currently available. The landlord reserves all rights regarding damages that exceed the security deposit, subject to applicable Florida law.”
For individual items:
“Drywall repair: $650, based on contractor estimate; final invoice pending.”
“Trash removal: $400, based on vendor quote for removal of abandoned furniture and debris.”
“Unpaid rent: $2,300, based on rent ledger through lease termination.”
This is stronger than simply writing “TBD” or “amount unknown.”
Conclusion: Be Specific, Timely, and Supportable
A Florida security deposit claim notice should do more than state a general deduction. It should identify the amount claimed, explain the reason for the claim, and provide enough detail to show that the deduction is tied to actual rent, damages, cleaning, missing items, or lease-based charges.
When amounts are not final, landlords should avoid vague “to be determined” claims. A good-faith, documented estimate is usually safer than an open-ended statement. When possible, landlords should break the claim into line items, identify the basis for each charge, and keep the invoices, estimates, photos, and records needed to support the deduction.
Douglas Firm assists Florida landlords, property owners, and businesses with eviction matters, security deposit disputes, demand letters, and landlord-tenant litigation. If you need help preparing a security deposit claim notice, responding to a tenant objection, or handling a landlord-tenant dispute in Broward County or elsewhere in Florida, contact Douglas Firm to discuss your situation.