Free renter tool

Pre-Lawsuit Checklist

Review notices, dates, evidence, and court details before deciding whether to file a small claims case.

Select Your State

Choose the state where the rental property is located to see the relevant notices, timing rules, evidence, and filing preparation.

Your California pre-filing review

0/6 complete

Priority: 0/4

Additional: 0/2

Important for California

Primary deadline: 21 calendar days after tenant vacates premises. Potential remedy described in the source: In addition to actual damages, a court may award up to 2x the deposit for bad-faith retention. The enhanced-remedy standard is bad-faith retention.

Confirm the return period and its trigger dates

Review first

California deadline: 21 calendar days after tenant vacates premises. Verify your move-out, possession, and notice dates.

Deadline: 21 calendar days

Why it matters: The dates may be relevant to whether the cited statutory requirements were met.

Review deduction notice and itemization

Review first

Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(h)(1) - Landlord must provide itemized statement

Why it matters: Compare any missing or vague itemization with the cited requirement and the available records.

Check whether another written notice or demand is needed

Review first

Review Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5, the lease, and any local notice rule before filing. State the facts, amount requested, and a reasonable response date in any demand.

Review the pre-move-out inspection record

Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(f) - Tenant entitled to pre-move-out inspection

Request missing deduction records

Review first

Supporting documents generally accompany combined repair and cleaning deductions over $125. For $125 or less, a tenant can request the documents within 14 days after receiving the itemization, and the landlord then has 14 days to provide them.

Organize your evidence packet

Collect lease, payment records, photos/videos, move-in/out reports, and all communications in one timeline.

Primary statute: Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5

Official source: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1950.5.&lawCode=CIV

Continue your pre-filing review

Review the priority items before deciding whether and where to file. Court rules and legal prerequisites can differ by claim and location.

Create a demand letter

Free renter tool

Pre-Lawsuit Checklist

Review notices, dates, evidence, and court details before deciding whether to file a small claims case.

Select Your State

Choose the state where the rental property is located to see the relevant notices, timing rules, evidence, and filing preparation.

Your California pre-filing review

0/6 complete

Priority: 0/4

Additional: 0/2

Important for California

Confirm the return period and its trigger dates

Review first

California deadline: 21 calendar days after tenant vacates premises. Verify your move-out, possession, and notice dates.

Deadline: 21 calendar days

Why it matters: The dates may be relevant to whether the cited statutory requirements were met.

Review deduction notice and itemization

Review first

Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(h)(1) - Landlord must provide itemized statement

Why it matters: Compare any missing or vague itemization with the cited requirement and the available records.

Check whether another written notice or demand is needed

Review first

Review Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5, the lease, and any local notice rule before filing. State the facts, amount requested, and a reasonable response date in any demand.

Review the pre-move-out inspection record

Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5(f) - Tenant entitled to pre-move-out inspection

Request missing deduction records

Review first

Organize your evidence packet

Collect lease, payment records, photos/videos, move-in/out reports, and all communications in one timeline.

Primary statute: Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5

Official source: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1950.5.&lawCode=CIV

Continue your pre-filing review

Review the priority items before deciding whether and where to file. Court rules and legal prerequisites can differ by claim and location.

Create a demand letter