The Best DoNotPay Alternative for Security Deposit Disputes
DoNotPay marketed itself as “the world's first robot lawyer.” In February 2025 the FTC finalized an order that bars it from claiming its service performs like a real lawyer unless it has evidence. If your problem is a security deposit, you need a letter built on your state's deposit statute, not a general template.
Check My Rights FreeWhat Happened to DoNotPay?
In September 2024 the Federal Trade Commission announced a complaint against DoNotPay, which had promoted its subscription service as “the world's first robot lawyer.” The FTC charged that the service failed to live up to claims that it was an adequate substitute for a human lawyer.
In February 2025 the FTC finalized an order that requires DoNotPay to pay $193,000, to notify consumers who subscribed between 2021 and 2023, and to stop advertising that its service performs like a real lawyer unless it has sufficient evidence. The order did not shut the company down. Source: FTC press release, February 11, 2025.
For a security deposit dispute the details are state-specific. California's statute gives a landlord 21 days to return a deposit and Texas's gives 30, and the penalties differ too. A letter that doesn't cite your state's statute leaves all of that out.
DepositHawk takes a narrower approach: it only handles security deposits, and every letter cites the deposit statute for the state you pick.
Built for One Thing: Security Deposit Disputes
DepositHawk does one thing: security deposit disputes. The tools below are built around that.
50-State Law Engine
Every state has different deadlines, penalty rules and limits on what a landlord can deduct. We keep a table of all 51 deposit statutes and cite the section in your letter.
Penalty Multiplier Calculator
Some statutes allow a penalty on top of the withheld amount. Texas allows $100 plus three times the amount withheld in bad faith. The rights check shows what your state's statute allows.
Statute-Cited Demand Letters
Not a generic template. Each letter cites your state's deposit statute, challenges each deduction you enter, and sets a response date.
Deadline Check
Enter your move-out date and, where your state's statute sets a fixed period, see the return deadline and whether it has passed.
IRS Depreciation Analysis
Landlord charged $1,200 for 6-year-old carpet? We calculate the prorated fair value using IRS depreciation tables. The fair charge is $171.
Escalation Sequence
If your landlord doesn't answer the first letter, the $49 kit includes a firmer second letter that names small claims court as the next step.
Check Your Rights for Free
See your state's statute, check the deductions you were charged, and see the return deadline and the penalty the statute allows, where it sets them. No signup required.
Start My Free Rights CheckFrequently Asked Questions
Is DoNotPay still working?
The FTC's February 2025 order did not shut DoNotPay down. It requires the company to pay $193,000, to notify consumers who subscribed between 2021 and 2023, and to stop advertising that its service performs like a real lawyer unless it has sufficient evidence. For what DoNotPay offers today, check its own website.
What's better than DoNotPay for security deposits?
If your dispute is about a security deposit, look for a tool that cites your state's deposit statute rather than a general template. DepositHawk covers all 50 states and DC, checks each deduction you enter against your state's rules, and generates a demand letter that cites your state's statute. It is not a law firm, and a letter is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.
Can I get more than my deposit back?
Sometimes. Some statutes allow a penalty on top of the withheld amount. Texas, for example, allows $100 plus three times the amount withheld in bad faith, and California allows up to twice the deposit for bad-faith retention. Whether a penalty applies depends on the facts, and a court decides. DepositHawk shows what your state's statute allows.
How is DepositHawk different from other DoNotPay alternatives?
DepositHawk only handles security deposit disputes. That means a table of deposit statutes for all 50 states and DC, IRS depreciation tables for checking charges for worn-out items, an escalation letter in the $49 kit, and a small-claims filing guide. For example, if a landlord charges $1,200 to replace carpet with a 7-year useful life after you lived there 6 years, the depreciated value left is about $171.
Do I need a lawyer to get my deposit back?
You don't need a lawyer to send a demand letter or to file in small claims court, which is set up for people who represent themselves. DepositHawk generates a demand letter that cites your state's deposit statute and gives your landlord 14 days to respond. DepositHawk is not a law firm, and this is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. If your situation is complicated, talk to a lawyer in your state.
Is DepositHawk free?
The rights check is free: it shows your state's statute, checks the deductions you enter, and gives the return deadline and the penalty the statute allows, where it sets them. A demand letter is $19. The $49 kit adds the escalation letter, a small-claims filing guide, an evidence checklist and a one-page case summary.
DepositHawk is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Information and documents are for informational purposes only. No attorney-client relationship is created. Consult a licensed attorney for advice specific to your situation.