Receipt for a returned deposit

Published byDocMuse

The document that closes a tenancy. The receipt shows the deposit that was paid, the sums withheld and the ground for each, and states expressly whether any claims remain. If a landlord withholds part of a deposit without setting that out, the argument afterwards is conducted with no record from either side.

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Common questions

Can the landlord withhold from the deposit without explaining?

They should not, and that is exactly why the receipt has a field for the ground for each deduction. A deduction with no description leaves the tenant unable to dispute it and the landlord with no evidence of why it was due.

What may lawfully be deducted from a deposit?

Unpaid rent and utilities, and damage beyond ordinary wear. Ordinary wear — faded paint, a worn floor — is not damage and is not deducted. The difference is visible from comparing the two handover records.

What if I disagree with the amount withheld?

Sign the receipt only for the sum you are actually receiving, and note in the claims field that the dispute over the difference remains. A signature without such a reservation is later read as agreement.

When should the deposit be returned to me?

After the property is vacated and the meters read, within the period the agreement sets. If the agreement is silent, the deposit is due as soon as it is clear what is being deducted — holding it indefinitely is not a term but a default.