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Letter asking your landlord to return your deposit (Ireland)
Ireland · in English · for tenants
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For a tenant in Ireland who has moved out and is still waiting for the deposit, or got back less than expected. The letter to the landlord or letting agent gives the date the tenancy ended and the deposit paid, recalls that a deposit must be returned promptly less only lawful deductions, asks for it within 14 days or a written list of deductions with evidence, and says which you dispute. If nothing comes, the next step is the Residential Tenancies Board's dispute service. Send it by email or registered post.
- Made for use in Ireland
- Last updated November 3, 2026
- Document in English
Published byDocMuse
When to use this document
- I moved out of my rented flat in Ireland weeks ago and the landlord still has not returned my deposit.
- The letting agent in Ireland kept part of my deposit for cleaning and I think the charges are unfair.
- My landlord in Ireland has stopped answering my messages about the deposit since I handed back the keys.
- I want to give my landlord a final deadline in writing before I open a deposit dispute with the RTB in Ireland.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Tenant
- Tenant's address
- Town and county (e.g. Ennis, Co. Clare; or Dublin 8)
- Tenant's Eircode
- Date
- Landlord or letting agent (name)
- Landlord's address
- Landlord's or agent's Eircode
- Address of the rented home (with its Eircode)
- Date your tenancy ended and you returned the keys
- Deposit paid (in euros, the figure only)
- IBAN
- Deductions you do not accept, and why
Common questions
- How long does a landlord in Ireland have to give back a deposit?
- The law says promptly and sets no number of days; the 14-day figure seen online is not in the Act. Ask in writing as soon as you have left: this letter gives the landlord 14 days, a reasonable time to pay or explain any deduction. If the deposit does not come, or you disagree with what was kept, you can open a dispute with the Residential Tenancies Board.
- What can a landlord deduct from my deposit in Ireland?
- Rent or other charges owed under the tenancy, such as unpaid bills the tenancy makes yours, and the real cost of damage beyond normal wear and tear, measured against the condition at the start. Routine cleaning after an ordinary tenancy is not damage. If you left without giving the notice the law requires, the landlord may also keep the rent for the notice you did not give.
- How do I open a deposit dispute with the RTB?
- Apply online through the RTB's dispute resolution service at rtb.ie, choosing deposit retention. You need the landlord's full name and address; the RTB deals with the case even if the landlord never registered the tenancy. You can choose mediation or adjudication. The RTB lists its current fees on its website. Send the check-in and check-out reports, photos and this letter as evidence.
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
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