They owe you, and they won't pay. Put the demand in writing.
A deposit, a bonus, a refund, unfinished work. A formal demand letter. Preview it free before you pay.
- Re: Return of security deposit, $1,400.00
- Former rental: 918 North Fulton Street, Unit B
- My tenancy ended on February 28, 2026. I returned both
- keys to your office that day and gave you my
- forwarding address in writing. My move-out photographs
- show the unit in the condition I received it, apart
- from ordinary wear.
- More than six weeks have passed. I have received
- neither my deposit nor an itemized statement of
- deductions.
- State law sets a deadline for a landlord to return a
- security deposit or provide an itemized statement of
- deductions after a tenancy ends, and ordinary wear and
- tear is not a permitted deduction...
Full letter includes: the facts in date order, the agreement or rule the claim rests on, the amount owed, one specific demand, a response date, and the next step if it goes unanswered.
Check these first.
If your dispute is one of these, use that letter instead. Each one asks the questions that kind of case turns on and cites the rules written for that recipient, so it makes a stronger letter than the generic one can.
Insurance appeal
A denied claim, a refused prior authorization, or a plan that won’t cover what your doctor ordered.
Medical bill
A surprise balance bill, a duplicate charge, or an itemized bill that doesn’t add up.
IRS notice
CP2000, CP14, and the rest. A proposed change is not a final bill, but the clock is real.
Charge or collector
A collector chasing a debt you don’t recognize, or a card charge you never authorized.
Credit bureau report
An account, a late payment, or a hard inquiry on your report that isn’t yours.
Parking ticket
A citation with a defect: unclear signage, the wrong plate, or a meter that was paid.
Utility or telecom bill
An early-termination fee, a metering error, or a service you cancelled and kept paying for.
Regulatory complaint
When the company won’t move, a complaint to the CFPB or your state regulator puts its answer on the record.
What's actually happening.
A landlord kept your deposit. An employer won't pay the bonus you hit. A business won't honor its own refund policy. A contractor took the money and stopped showing up. You've asked, and asked again.
A phone call is easy to ignore. A dated, formal letter that sets out what was agreed, what happened, what is owed, and what you will do next is not. It is also the record a small claims court, a labor department, or a licensing board will want to see.
This is our generic letter, for the disputes our specific letters weren't built for. It works from your agreement, the other side's own policies, and the rules that apply to your situation.
How it works.
Upload the notice, answer a few questions
A photo, a PDF, or the pasted text of what they sent you. Then the minimum we need: your name, what happened, any context.
Preview the draft, free
A watermarked preview is on screen: the opening, the statutes it cites and the letter's structure. No account needed.
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$19.99 for the clean PDF and Word file. Print it yourself, or have us mail it for you.
Pricing.
One letter, one price. Preview it free; pay only if you would send it.
The full letter as PDF and Word. You print it, sign it, and send it.
We print it and mail it USPS First-Class. Added in one click after you unlock.
We print it and mail it USPS Certified with tracking and signature. Bundle at checkout and save 5%.
Certified with tracking, plus the signed return receipt mailed back to you. Added after you unlock.
Mailing prices and options on the mail page. Full price list on pricing.
What the letter stands on.
Your agreement first, then the rules that apply to your situation, stated in plain language. This letter cites no section numbers.
The agreement's own terms The lease, offer letter, bonus or commission plan, contract, quote, or refund policy. Quoted exactly where you supply it, because it is usually the strongest ground there is.
State security-deposit law Nearly every state sets a deadline for returning a deposit or itemizing deductions after a tenancy ends.
State wage-payment law Rules on paying earned wages, including earned bonuses and commissions, and on final pay when a job ends.
State consumer-protection law Unfair and deceptive practices by a business, enforced by the state attorney general.
Who this isn't for.
We are honest about our limits. FightThis may not be right if:
- Your dispute fits one of our specific letters: an insurance denial, a medical bill, an IRS notice, a card charge or debt collector, a credit report error, a parking ticket, a utility or telecom bill, or a regulatory complaint. Use that one; it asks the right questions and cites the rules written for that recipient.
- You have been sued or served with court papers. You need to respond to the court by its deadline, not send a demand letter.
- The dispute is with a government agency, or involves criminal, family, or immigration law. Those run on their own procedures.
If your situation is high-stakes, please find a local attorney. Many state bars have free or low-cost referral services.
Common questions.
Should I use this or one of the specific letters?
If one of the specific letters fits your dispute, use it. Each one asks the questions that kind of case turns on and cites the rules written for that recipient, so it makes a stronger letter. This one is for everything they don't cover.
What kinds of disputes is this for?
Money, property, or work someone owes you and won't hand over: a security deposit, an earned bonus or commission, final pay, a refund a business refuses, a contractor's unfinished or defective work, or money a person owes you.
Does it cite the law?
It states the rules that apply in plain language, without section numbers. Our specific letters cite statutes from a verified reference table; this one covers too many situations and states to have one, and we would rather state a rule plainly than guess a section number. It leans on your agreement and the other side's own policies, which are usually the stronger ground anyway.
What if they ignore it?
The letter names the next step that actually exists for your situation: small claims court, the state labor department for earned pay, the attorney general's consumer protection office for a business, or the licensing board for a licensed contractor. It does not name agencies that won't take your complaint.
Do I need to send a letter before small claims court?
Many small claims courts expect you to have asked for payment before you file, and a dated written demand is the clearest proof that you did.
My employer says the bonus was discretionary. Is it worth disputing?
It depends on the terms. A bonus promised in writing for meeting stated conditions you met is generally treated differently from one the plan leaves to the employer's discretion. Upload the offer letter or plan and the letter will argue from its exact wording.
We mail it for you
A demand sent by certified mail gives you proof it was delivered and when, which is exactly what you'll want if the dispute goes further. We handle the certified mailing for you.
Recommended: Certified Mail, $19.99. See all mailing options.
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