Can I get my security deposit back if my landlord refuses to return it?

You can start with a formal written demand (a legal notice) to your landlord, clearly stating the amount due and a reasonable deadline for repayment — this alone sometimes prompts payment, and it also creates a documented record if you need to escalate further.

If that doesn't work, since a security deposit dispute is essentially a claim for a specific sum of money, you can pursue it through a summary/recovery civil suit, or in many cases, more efficiently through the Rent Authority or Consumer Commission, depending on how your specific state's tenancy law and the nature of your original agreement are structured.

Photographs or documentation of the flat's condition at the time you vacated, along with your original rent agreement specifying the deposit amount, will strengthen your claim considerably. Some newer state tenancy laws also cap how much deposit a landlord can retain or specify timelines for refund, so it's worth checking if any such specific protection applies in your state, and consulting a lawyer about the most efficient route for your situation.