Updated January 16, 2024
The West Virginia security deposit demand letter is sent to landlords who haven’t complied within the lawful time period for returning a tenant’s deposit after their lease has been terminated. Security deposits must be returned within sixty (60) days from the date the tenant moved out or forty-five (45) days from the date that a new tenant moved in, whichever is shorter. If the landlord makes any deductions for damages, they will be given an additional fifteen (15) days to send a statement of deductions and refund. It is the tenant’s responsibility to provide the landlord with an address to which the refund can be sent. In the event that it isn’t possible for the landlord to return the deposit by mail, they must hold it for six (6) months or until the tenant collects it. If the landlord withholds the deposit in bad faith, they will be liable for up to one (1) and a half times the amount owed.
Laws – § 37-6A-1