Louisiana sets no statutory cap on a residential security deposit. Under La. R.S. 9:3251, the landlord must return the deposit, with an itemized statement of any amounts kept, within one month after the lease ends, provided the tenant gave a forwarding address. Willful failure exposes the landlord to a penalty plus costs and attorney's fees.
Under La. R.S. 9:3251, a security deposit must be "returned to the tenant ... within one month after the lease shall terminate," minus any portion the lessor reasonably needs "to remedy a default of the tenant or to remedy unreasonable wear to the premises." If any amount is retained, the lessor must "forward to the tenant ... within one month after the date the tenancy terminates, an itemized statement accounting for the proceeds which are retained." The tenant must furnish a forwarding address at lease termination for those statements. The statute imposes no dollar cap on how large the deposit may be, so the amount is set by the lease. The duty does not apply if the tenant abandons the premises without proper notice or before the lease ends.
La. R.S. 9:3252 makes willful failure to comply with 9:3251 grounds to recover $300 or twice the amount of the deposit wrongfully retained, whichever is greater. Failure to remit within thirty days after written demand constitutes willful failure. Under La. R.S. 9:3253 the court may award costs and attorney's fees to the prevailing party.
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