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Landlord & Tenant Disputes · All 50 States

Landlord & tenant
disputes, made simple.

A deposit kept or rent unpaid, repairs ignored or damage left behind — Squabble turns it into a clear small-claims case in about six minutes with Sophie. Start with your side.

13,000+ Disputes Resolved Free Demand Letter No Lawyer Required
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Which side are you on?

Pick your side and Squabble tailors everything — the demand, the paperwork, and your state's rules.

What it covers

What landlord–tenant small claims covers.

Most landlord–tenant cases are money disputes like these — from either side. The exact limits and deadlines live on your state's page.

Security deposits

A deposit kept without cause, missing its itemized list, or returned past your state’s deadline.

Repairs & habitability

Conditions left unrepaired, or repairs that ran past what the deposit covered.

Unpaid rent

Rent still owed under the lease — during the tenancy or after a tenant moves out.

Fees, damage & balances

Illegal fees, damage beyond the deposit, and balances left after a lease ends.

All 50 states

Find your state's rules.

Each state sets its own small-claims limit, deadlines, and filing rules — mapped, sourced, and ready.

How it works

From “they kept it” to resolved.

One path, six steps. You tell the story once; Squabble carries it the rest of the way — and you review everything before anything is filed.

Step 1

Told Sophie

You tell Sophie what happened, in plain words. About six minutes.

Step 2

Prepared

Your demand letter — and any court papers — are prepared and Triple-Checked.

Step 3

Filed

Squabble files with the right court, or hands you a file-ready packet.

Step 4

Served

The other side is formally notified, the way your court requires.

Step 5

Hearing

You walk in prepared, evidence organized, case in order.

Step 6

Resolved

You reach a resolution — by settlement or judgment.

Straight talk

What small claims can — and can't — do.

We'd rather you walk in clear-eyed. Squabble isn't a law firm and doesn't give legal advice — here's the honest scope.

What it can do

  • Award a money judgment for what the court finds is owed — to either party.
  • Add interest, penalties, or court costs your state allows.
  • Add your court costs to the judgment.
  • Give you an enforceable judgment you can collect on.

What it can't do

  • Punish the other side criminally — small claims is about money owed.
  • Award damages beyond what your state's law provides.
  • Guarantee an outcome — every case turns on its facts and evidence.
  • Replace legal advice — for that, talk to a licensed attorney.
Why Squabble

The rigor is the reassurance.

Attorney-founded & patented

Created by a practicing attorney and law professor, on patented technology (U.S. 11,328,375 B2) — not a generic form mill.

Triple-Checked

Every document is checked for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy against your court's requirements before it goes anywhere.

Free to start, yours to control

Your custom demand letter is free, and you review and attest to every document before anything is filed.

Sophie, your intake assistant
Free to start

Choose your level of support.

Wherever you are right now — you just want them to respond, or you’re ready to file today — there’s a level that fits. Upgrade anytime, without starting over.

Make them respond · included free

Your Custom Demand Letter

Prepared from the facts you gave Sophie — download, sign, and send.

Get my free letter
Recommended for claims $2,000+
Your dedicated case agent
Hand it off

Dedicated Case Agent

$398 + fees

A dedicated agent prepares, files, and stays with your case the whole way — evidence, hearings, and every step through to Resolved.

Told Sophie
Prepared
Filed
Served
Hearing
Resolved
Everything in File NowPersonally assigned case agentUnlimited & escalated case meetingsEvidence prep for settlement or courtVirtual hearing & motion assistance*Service of Process optional · $88 at submission or $128 if ordered later
Get a Dedicated Case Agent
Get it filed

File Now

$238 + fees
Reaches Served

Squabble Triple-Checks, prepares, and files your claim — E-Service included.

Filing handled by SquabbleE-Service included†Full case management platformService of Process optional · $88 at submission or $128 if ordered later
File My Claim
Put them on notice

Credible Threat

$128
Reaches Prepared

Court-ready documents you file yourself — a demand backed by the paperwork.

Court-ready documents, Triple-Check™ verifiedE-Service included†Live chat with the Squabble team
Send Credible Threat
† E-Service is a courtesy email to the other party — not lawful service of process. With Credible Threat it gives notice of intent to file; with File Now and a Dedicated Case Agent, notice that the claim has been filed.
* Additional court fees may apply for filed documents. Ordering does not form an attorney-client relationship.
Case Brief

Walk in knowing your case.

Most people aren’t sure what to prove or what the other side will say. A Case Brief maps all of it out — the facts, the evidence, the numbers, the likely defenses — so you’re the prepared one in the room.

$98Add it to any path — even your free demand letter.
Add a Case Brief — $98

Educational only — not legal advice, no attorney-client relationship, and no opinion on the merits. Example shown for illustration.

Questions

Landlord & tenant disputes, answered.

How long does a landlord have to return my security deposit?

It depends on your state, but most set a deadline of 14 to 30 days after move-out to return the deposit or send a written, itemized list of deductions. Your state page has the exact number and the statute behind it.

What if my landlord never sent an itemized list?

That usually helps you. In most states a landlord who fails to provide a timely itemized statement loses the right to keep any of the deposit — even for real damage.

Can I get back more than my deposit?

Often, yes. Many states let you recover a multiple of the amount wrongfully withheld — sometimes two or three times — plus court costs, when a landlord acts in bad faith. The exact penalty and any statutory interest the court allows depend on your state.

Do I need a lawyer?

No. Small claims court is built for people representing themselves. Squabble prepares your demand letter and, if you choose, your court-ready documents, and identifies the right court. You review everything before anything is filed.

How much does Squabble cost?

Your custom demand letter is free. To go further, Credible Threat is $128, File Now is $238, and a Dedicated Case Agent is $398. You only pay if you decide to escalate.

What if the landlord still won't respond?

That's what filing is for. With File Now or a Dedicated Case Agent, Squabble prepares and files your case and coordinates formal notice, so silence stops being an option.

Can I sue my landlord for repairs they never made?

Often, yes. If your landlord ignored a serious repair or habitability issue and you were harmed — or you paid out of pocket to fix what they were responsible for — that can be a small-claims case. The rules vary by state; your state page has the specifics.

Can I get back illegal fees or overcharged rent?

Sometimes. Many states limit what landlords can charge and bar certain fees outright. If you were charged something your lease or state law doesn’t allow, you may be able to recover it. Check your state page for the local rules.

Does this work in my state?

Yes — Squabble covers all 50 states, with landlord-tenant rules and the right court mapped for each. Find yours in the state list above.

Modern civil recourse

Built for everyone the system kept waiting.

Small-claims court exists so ordinary people can be heard without a lawyer or a fortune. Over time it filled up with forms, deadlines, and procedure most were never shown — and too many quietly gave up what they were owed.

Squabble puts it back within reach. Tell Sophie what happened, and your demand letter, court-ready paperwork, filing, and follow-through are prepared and moving — in about six minutes, off your shoulders.

Free to start — your Custom Demand Letter is free.