Free Personal Property Demand Letter Template

If your personal items are in someone else’s hands, you can get your belongings back by following these steps:

1. Verify Ownership of Your Property

First, you must prove you own the property to get it back successfully. You can attach bank statements, public records, and return receipts to your letter.

2. Research Laws

Next, if the property can be contested, you must research ownership laws in your state.

For instance, most states consider engagement rings to be conditional gifts. Western states, like California, follow the conditional gift approach and award the ring to the giver if an engagement falls through. However, some states, like Montana, categorize the engagement ring as an unconditional gift and give a ring to the receiver when an engagement ends.

3. Write the Personal Property Demand Letter

Once you’ve researched, it’s time to start writing the personal property demand letter. Start by describing how your property came to have the other entity or person. Be as descriptive and specific as possible⁠—the demand letter may be used later in court.

4. Uncover as Much Evidence as Possible

Include as many sources as possible to prove that the property is yours. Consider using eyewitness accounts from family and friends as testimonies to support your claim.

5. Send the Letter Through Certified Mail

Once you’ve finished the letter, send it through certified mail with a return receipt. Keep a copy of the return receipt requested for future reference. The receipt will show the person currently in possession of your property that they have been served with an official letter that can be used in court.

6. Take Legal Action

If the personal property demand letter recipient refuses to return your property, you should take legal action against them.

Otherwise, you should hire an attorney and go to court.

You should write and serve a personal property demand letter if your property is in someone else’s hands. Here are the top scenarios when that could happen:

1. Property Encroachment
2. Family Disputes
3. Seized Vehicles
4. Workplace Dismissals
5. Business Disputes
6. Divorce
7. Leased Property

If you want to use a personal property demand letter to get your property back, follow these steps to write a personal property demand letter:

1. Start from a Personal Property Demand Sample Letter or Template

One of the best ways to write a personal property demand letter is to start with a sample letter. But it can be even easier if you create one in our document builder, as you only have to answer a few simple questions.

2. Introduce and Date the Letter

Add the name and date to the form. If you are writing this letter on behalf of your company, write the company’s name. Then, write the address.

Here’s an example of what this would look like:

Add the letter’s calendar date across the two empty lines after the “Date” label. Then, add the recipient’s name after “Dear.”

3. Outline What Item Is In the Recipient’s Possession

Next, introduce yourself and outline the purpose of your letter. Name the item you want the recipient to return and how it came to be in their possession.

Ensure to identify your property fully. If it’s a car, state the license plate number and Vehicle Identification Number along with a detailed and accurate description. Be sure to include other items in the recipient’s possession, including fuel injectors.

For instance, you could write:

4. Outline the Damages You’ve Suffered As a Result of the Property Loss

You should also mention the damages you’ve suffered from losing your property and include enclosed estimates of your losses.

To continue from the example above, you could say that losing your laptop has made it impossible to access certain 3D models. As a result, you could not complete certain client projects, leading to $5,000 in lost revenue and six negative reviews on Google Business.

Reference commercially reasonable prices to determine realistic damages.

4. Present Proof That the Item Belongs to You

After describing the item, you should present proof that it belongs to you. Mention any attached files, such as photos, receipts, documents, and eyewitness accounts.

5. Inform the Recipient About the Consequences of Failing to Return Your Property

Finally, tell the recipient what will happen if they fail to return your property by a certain date. Be polite ⁠— don’t use threats or improper language. Here’s an example of what you could say:

You can then end the letter with a “Sincerely, [your name or the name of your company].”

Here are some tips for writing an effective personal property demand letter:

Be Professional and Courteous

It’s normal to be angry when writing a personal property demand letter. However, you should never be abusive or call the other party names. Be calm and direct, and leave your personal feelings out of the letter. Even if you know the recipient well, call them “Mr./Ms./Mx. [last name]” or “the defendant.”

Be Aware of the Reader

Although a property demand letter is official, you should not use legalese. Instead, write for the recipient of the letter. Legalese can confuse people and make them anxious.

Summarize at the Top

Summarize the letter’s main point at the beginning of the letter in a sentence or two. This lets the reader immediately know what the letter is all about.

Be Complete and Thorough

Don’t assume the recipient already knows why you’re writing the letter. Tell the story of what happened from the very beginning, and include details like numbers, dates, model numbers, and amounts of money.

Not only does this help the recipient understand the purpose of your letter, but it will also help a judge understand your case if it goes to court. Judges who understand your letter are more likely to award you money.

Be Reasonable

Your demands should be reasonable. Don’t request relief that is unrealistic or unnecessary. For example, if the recipient did not damage your laptop and has seemingly just forgotten to return the laptop to you, you should not demand punitive damages—courts only award punitive damages for intentional harm.

Ensure the Letter Is Received

Lastly, ensure the recipient receives the letter. If you work with a lawyer, they will send the demand letter on your behalf. If you are sending it yourself before starting a lawsuit, you should send it through the post office to get post office receipts.

A personal property demand letter can help you get your property back. However, writing a personal property letter can be difficult, especially if you have multiple other projects. Use LegalTemplates’ document builder to get started.