Formal demand for return of a rental deposit (Italy)
Published byDocMuse
This document is in Italian
The PDF you download is in Italian — that is the language it has to be filed in, so it is not translated. Everything on this page is here to tell you what it says.
For a tenant in Italy who has moved out and returned the keys but has not had the deposit back: the formal demand to the landlord to return the deposit with legal interest accrued year by year (art. 11 of Italian Law no. 392 of 27 July 1978) within fifteen days, disputing any unjustified deductions and warning that mediation or court action will follow otherwise. Sent by registered post with proof of receipt, or by PEC if the landlord has a PEC address. In Italian.
- Made for use in Italy
- Last updated October 14, 2026
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When to use this document
- You moved out of a rented flat in Italy and the landlord has not returned the deposit.
- Your former landlord is keeping the deposit for ordinary wear you do not accept.
- You handed back the keys weeks ago and the owner no longer answers.
- You want to claim your deposit and its interest back in writing.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Tenant
- Tenant's address
- Tenant's codice fiscale (Italian tax code)
- How the letter is sent (printed above the recipient)
- Landlord
- Landlord's postal address (street, then postcode and town on the next line)
- City
- Date
- Address of the property
- Date the lease was signed
- Date the keys were handed back
- Date the deposit was paid
- Deposit amount
- Deductions from the deposit you dispute, and why (optional)
- IBAN
Common questions
- How long does an Italian landlord have to return the deposit?
- The statute sets no number of days: the deposit is due at the end of the lease, once the home has been returned and damage and accounts checked. That is why the demand sets a deadline, usually fifteen days from receipt. The landlord must also pay the legal interest accrued each year on the deposit, if it was not paid already (art. 11 of Italian Law no. 392 of 27 July 1978).
- Can the landlord keep the deposit in Italy for ordinary wear and tear?
- No: the tenant returns the home in the state received, except for deterioration from normal use (art. 1590 of the Italian Civil Code). The landlord may keep only the amount of actual, documented damage, plus unpaid rent or charges. Comparing the handover and return records, with the photos, shows what was already there and what changed; the box for disputed deductions lists them with the reasons.
- What can a tenant in Italy do if the landlord ignores the deposit demand?
- For lease disputes the law generally requires mediation first, before a registered mediation body (art. 5 of Italian Legislative Decree no. 28 of 4 March 2010); for a documented claim there is also an application to the court for a payment order (decreto ingiuntivo). Keep the demand with the registered-post or PEC receipt, the lease, proof of payment of the deposit and the records. Tenants' associations help their members with these steps.
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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