SELA Realty Security Deposit Settlement, Check If You Qualify — Coleman v. SELA Realty Investments LLC, No. 2025-CA-002010

November 22, 2026. That’s your deadline to claim money from the SELA Realty settlement, and it’s closer than it sounds. SELA Realty Investments agreed to pay up to $141,793.77 to Florida tenants who lost part of a security deposit. If you qualify, you can claim 60% of your deposit online. The case is Coleman v. SELA Realty Investments LLC, No. 2025-CA-002010.

SELA Realty Security Deposit Settlement — Key Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	Up to $141,793.77 in cash, plus $669,408.48 in debt relief
Claim Deadline	November 22, 2026
Who Qualifies	Florida tenants of SELA Realty properties, April 4, 2021 to April 4, 2025, whose deposits were partly kept without a proper certified-mail notice
Estimated Payout	60% of the deposit you paid
Proof Required	No
Settlement Status	Preliminarily approved; final hearing December 2, 2026
Court & Case Number	Circuit Court, Duval County, Florida; No. 2025-CA-002010
Law Alleged	Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act
Administrator	American Legal Claims
Official Claim Site	selasettlement.com
Last Updated	September 30, 2026

Who Is SELA Realty and Why Are They Being Sued for Security Deposit Violations?

SELA Realty Investments LLC is a New Jersey company that owned or managed rental apartments across Florida. Landlords hold your deposit, and Florida law sets a strict clock for keeping any of it. The lawsuit says SELA’s process missed that clock for a class of about 391 tenants.

What Did SELA Realty Do to Florida Tenants Between April 4, 2021 and April 4, 2025?

Here’s the claim in plain terms. Under the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, a landlord that wants to keep part of your deposit must send a certified-mail notice within 30 days of move-out, and tenants get 15 days to object. Plaintiff Gail Coleman alleges SELA took deposits before that window closed and didn’t send legally sufficient notices.

She also cites the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act, which bars claiming a legal right you know doesn’t exist. SELA “denies any wrongdoing whatsoever,” according to the official notice. If part of your deposit was kept and no proper certified letter came, you’re the person this class describes.

Who Qualifies for the SELA Realty Security Deposit Settlement?

Here’s exactly how to check class action settlement eligibility for the SELA Realty case.

• Florida tenants who rented from a SELA-owned or SELA-managed property between April 4, 2021 and April 4, 2025
• Anyone who paid a security deposit and had part of it kept
• People who never got a certified-mail notice about the deduction within 30 days of moving out
• Those whose notice arrived without the disclosures Florida law requires

Who doesn’t qualify: anyone who opts out, anyone who already released these claims with SELA, and the judges and immediate family the agreement excludes. The class definition lists the dates backward, but the notice headline and claim form both run April 4, 2021 to April 4, 2025.

Did SELA keep part of your deposit without a proper certified letter? Then check your email for a class member ID.

SELA Realty Tenants Outside Florida — Are You Still Covered?

This settlement covers leases in Florida. It’s about where you rented, not where you live now. Renters at SELA properties in other states aren’t included.

Not sure if you qualify for the SELA Realty security deposit settlement? A free legal consultation with a landlord-tenant attorney can help before the November 22, 2026 deadline.

How Much Can SELA Realty Security Deposit Settlement Class Members Get? Up to 60% of Your Deposit

SELA will pay a maximum of $141,793.77 in cash, plus $669,408.48 in debt relief. That legal settlement payout works out differently for each tenant.

SELA Realty Cash Payout — 60% of Your Security Deposit

File a valid claim and you get 60% of the deposit you paid. A $1,000 deposit means $600, per the official notice. If all 391 class members claimed, that averages about $362.64 each, by my math from the fund total.

SELA Realty Debt Relief — Balance Brought to $0

If you moved out on or before December 31, 2024, SELA agreed to zero out any balance it says you owe, including debts sent to collectors. That’s $669,408.48, about 4.7 times the cash pool. One FAQ answer says 2025, but the Settlement Agreement and notice both say 2024.

Why More Filers Won’t Shrink Your SELA Realty Check

This settlement pays a flat 60%, so more filers don’t mean smaller checks. If the class is bigger than 391, SELA must add 60% of each extra person’s deposit to the fund. Leftover money reverts to SELA or its insurers, so filing is the only way to keep your share.

You can choose Venmo, PayPal, Zelle or a check. Checks go out 30 days after the settlement becomes final and stay valid for 90 days. Payments over $600 may appear on a 1099, so read our guide, Do I Have to Pay to Join a Class Action Lawsuit? Costs, Fees & Taxes, and check with a tax professional.

The lawyers get $75,000, paid separately by SELA. That equals 52.9% of the cash pool, yet none of it comes out of your check. Worth knowing before you decide the payout is worth your time.

How to File Your SELA Realty Security Deposit Settlement Claim — Step by Step

1. Go to selasettlement.com and open the Online Claim Submission page.
2. Enter your name, email and city, plus the class member ID from your email notice.
3. Pick Venmo, PayPal, Zelle or check. Electronic is faster.
4. Upload nothing. If the system can’t match you, add other first names, former last names and old rental addresses.
5. E-sign the verification, submit, and save your confirmation.
6. Watch your email and phone, since the administrator may contact you.

Have your email notice handy and it moves fast. That’s 53 days from today, and November 22 is a Sunday. If you mail a claim, send it by Friday, November 20.

Should SELA Realty Class Members Opt Out or Object Before November 22, 2026?

What Opting Out of the SELA Realty Settlement Actually Means

You get no payment and no debt relief, but you keep your right to sue SELA yourself. Mail a signed request with your name, address and the exclusion statement from the notice, postmarked by November 22, 2026, to Coleman v SELA, c/o Settlement Administrator, PO Box 23668, Jacksonville, FL.

The site lists ZIP 32216 for this and 32241 elsewhere, so confirm with [email protected] first. Most people should not opt out without legal advice.

How to Object to the SELA Realty Settlement

Objecting keeps you in the class but tells the court you disagree. Sign a written objection with your name, address, phone, proof you’re a class member and your reasons. File it with the Clerk of the Circuit Court, Duval County Courthouse, 501 West Adams Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202, and mail copies to both sides’ lawyers.

The notice says November 22, but the proposed court order ties objections to 14 days before the hearing, which is November 18. File by then to be safe.

Talk to a class action lawsuit attorney before November 22, 2026 if you’re considering either option.

SELA Realty Security Deposit Settlement — Key Dates, 2026

Milestone	Date
Settlement Proposed	Term sheet April 24, 2025; agreement signed June 30, 2026
Preliminary Approval	Order e-filed September 2, 2026
Claims Period Opens	UNVERIFIED — exact email send date not published; agreement requires notice within 21 days of preliminary approval
Claim Filing Deadline	November 22, 2026 (a Sunday)
Opt-Out Deadline	November 22, 2026 (postmarked)
Objection Deadline	November 22, 2026 per notice; November 18, 2026 per proposed order
Notice of Intent to Appear	November 18, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	December 2, 2026, 9:00 a.m., via Zoom
Expected Payment Date	UNVERIFIED — 30 days after the settlement becomes final; appeals could add a year or more

SELA Realty Security Deposit Settlement — Frequently Asked Questions, No. 2025-CA-002010

1. Do I need a lawyer to file a SELA Realty security deposit settlement claim?

 No. You file a legal claim online yourself. The court appointed Matthew T. Peterson of Consumer Law Advocate, PLLC as class counsel, and you aren’t charged.

2. Is the SELA Realty security deposit settlement legitimate?

 Yes. A Duval County judge, Michael Scott Sharrit, oversees it, and American Legal Claims runs selasettlement.com. Real claims cost nothing, so never pay anyone to file.

3. When will SELA Realty settlement payments be sent?

 The court decides on final approval December 2, 2026. Payments go out 30 days after the settlement becomes final, and appeals could take more than a year.

4. What if I missed the SELA Realty claim deadline? 

The documents offer no late-claim window after November 22, 2026. You’d get no payment but stay bound by the release unless you opted out. Email [email protected] to ask.

5. Will my SELA Realty settlement payment go on a 1099? 

Only payments over $600 may. Since you get 60% of your deposit, that would take a deposit above $1,000. Check with a tax professional.

6. Do I need to file a claim to get the SELA Realty debt relief? 

The official notice says you must file the online claim form to get both the payment and the $0 balance. The agreement is less clear, so file to be safe.

7. Do I qualify for the SELA Realty settlement if I got no email? 

Maybe. The class list holds about 391 people. If the claim form can’t match you, it asks for other names and old addresses. You can also write to PO Box 23668, Jacksonville, FL.

Sources Used in This SELA Realty Security Deposit Article

• Settlement Agreement and Release with exhibits, signed June 30, 2026: https://www.selasettlement.com/request-document/0ef956e2073c209da3b30b48c604ac29
• Long Form Class Notice: https://www.selasettlement.com/request-document/c683023985618a670ab11419a405ec99
• Preliminary Approval Order, e-filed September 2, 2026: https://www.selasettlement.com/request-document/d38089cccb772fc1a595b23d0a48186d
• Official settlement website, Case Home and FAQ, American Legal Claims: https://www.selasettlement.com/ and https://www.selasettlement.com/page/faq
• Key Dates page: https://www.selasettlement.com/page/dates
• Online claim page: https://www.selasettlement.com/page/preclaim

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the official Settlement Agreement, court order and settlement website on September 30, 2026. Last Updated: September 30, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.