The law in plain English
Return deadline
Under Del. Code tit. 25, Sections 5311, 5514, the deposit response usually has to be sent within 45 days of the move-out timeline described by the state rule.
Required notice
Delaware generally caps the deposit at 1 month's rent on covered leases of 1 year or more, while the statute notes separate exceptions for month-to-month and furnished rentals, and the landlord usually has 45 days to send the refund and itemized statement.
This dispute type
Delaware renters usually push back on carpet-cleaning deductions when the landlord appears to be charging for routine turnover rather than a tenant-caused problem. The timing, itemization, and bad-faith rules still matter even when the landlord says the carpet needed extra work.
Penalty leverage
If the withholding was wrongful or in bad faith, the exposure allowed under the statute is: Landlord forfeits the right to retain; you can recover up to double the amount wrongfully withheld