A scratch on the countertop you didn\u2019t make. A stain on the carpet that was there before you moved in. A window that sticks, which you mentioned when you moved in, but only verbally. Each of these things, when you move out, can turn into a deduction from your deposit \u2013 and a deposit is usually an amount equal to one month\u2019s, sometimes two months\u2019 rent. For a student, that is money that makes a real difference.<\/p>\n
The biggest problem is that a dispute over the deposit is resolved not when you move out, but when you move in \u2013 at a moment when few people think about it. The person who has documentation of the property\u2019s condition from the day it was handed over will almost always win the argument. The person who does not have it is left with the task of proving that they did not do something \u2013 and that can be impossible.<\/p>\n
In this article, we explain what a deposit is under the law, when the landlord has the right to keep it, how to prepare a handover protocol that genuinely protects you, and how the deposit works in private student accommodation.<\/p>\n
A deposit is security for the landlord\u2019s claims arising from the lease agreement. You pay a specified amount before the property is handed over, and the landlord holds it for the entire rental period.<\/p>\n
The key thing to understand is: a deposit is not a fee or an advance payment for rent<\/strong>. It is a refundable security deposit \u2013 and by default, the landlord is obliged to return it. The right to make deductions is an exception to this rule, not the rule itself, and it is the landlord who must prove the basis for any deduction.<\/p>\n This has a very practical consequence. If, when moving out, you hear that the \u201cdeposit is forfeited\u201d without a specific reason and amount being given, that position has no basis in the regulations. The landlord should state exactly what they are deducting for and in what amount.<\/p>\n In apartment rentals, a deposit equal to one month\u2019s rent is common practice, although two months is also often seen. In occasional rental agreements, the law sets an upper limit based on a multiple of the rent, so demanding very high amounts is not justified.<\/p>\n Always make sure the deposit amount, the deadline for payment, and the refund rules are written into the agreement. A deposit paid \u201con trust,\u201d without a receipt and without being included in the document, is the first step toward problems.<\/p>\n The grounds for deduction come down to three categories.<\/p>\n Unpaid rent, unsettled utilities, unpaid additional charges \u2013 these are the most obvious and hardest-to-challenge grounds. If you are in arrears, the landlord has the full right to cover the debt from the deposit.<\/p>\n This is the most common area of dispute, and it is worth understanding the distinction precisely.<\/p>\n Normal wear and tear<\/strong> is the result of ordinary use of the premises over time, in a way consistent with their intended purpose. The landlord cannot<\/strong> deduct from the deposit for this. It includes:<\/p>\n Damage<\/strong> means destruction beyond that scope \u2013 a broken pane, a cabinet door torn off, a burn hole in the countertop, a flooded and swollen floor, holes from wall plugs in tiles. For that, the landlord may make deductions.<\/p>\n The boundary is not always clear, and that is exactly why documentation of the initial condition is so important \u2013 it shifts the discussion from impressions to facts.<\/p>\n If the agreement requires the property to be returned cleaned and emptied, and you leave your belongings there or hand it back in a condition requiring professional cleaning, the landlord may charge you for the cost.<\/p>\n The handover protocol is a description of the condition of the property and its furnishings at the time of handover. It is prepared twice: when you move in and when you move out, and comparing the two documents determines what happened during your stay.<\/p>\n It is the most effective tool you have to protect your deposit \u2013 and at the same time the one most often overlooked, because everyone is in a hurry on moving day.<\/p>\n A written description alone is often not enough, because a \u201cscratch on the countertop\u201d can be understood in different ways. Take photo documentation of the entire property on moving-in day:<\/p>\n The photos have a date in the metadata, which makes them strong evidence. Email them to the landlord the same day with a short message \u2013 this gives you proof that the other party received them and did not dispute them.<\/p>\n Reporting defects verbally. \u201cI told you when we handed over the apartment that this drawer doesn\u2019t close properly\u201d is a sentence you cannot prove a year later. Everything you notice should be included in the protocol or at least in an email message.<\/p>\n The same rule applies to defects reported during the tenancy \u2013 always in writing or by email, never by phone alone.<\/p>\n A few steps worth doing in the right order:<\/p>\n If the deposit is not returned by the agreed deadline, the steps are as follows:<\/p>\n In practice, most disputes end at the demand stage \u2013 a landlord who sees that the other side has complete documentation will usually give up unjustified deductions.<\/p>\n If you rent an apartment with friends under one agreement, the deposit is usually joint. This creates a situation you should be aware of: damage caused by one roommate affects everyone\u2019s deposit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n If one person damages equipment or moves out earlier without paying their share, the financial consequences fall on the others. This is a real scenario, not a theoretical one.<\/p>\n A sensible safeguard is to set out internal arrangements between roommates: who paid what share of the deposit, how the costs of possible damage are divided, and what happens if someone moves out before the lease ends. It does not have to be a formal document \u2013 a message in a group chat that you can return to is enough. We write more about building good relationships in such an arrangement in the article on how to build relationships with a roommate from day one<\/a>.<\/p>\n In professionally run properties, the mechanism is the same, but the circumstances are usually simpler. This is due to several structural differences:<\/p>\n The rules remain the same everywhere, however: read the agreement and regulations, take photos when moving in, and report defects in writing. Good practice does not depend on the type of accommodation. We described what the process looks like from the moment of booking in the article on how the room booking process works step by step<\/a>.<\/p>\n Before signing the agreement:<\/strong><\/p>\n On moving-in day:<\/strong><\/p>\n During the tenancy:<\/strong><\/p>\n When moving out:<\/strong><\/p>\n A deposit is a security deposit that, by default, is returned to the tenant \u2013 a deduction is the exception and requires justification, not the rule. The landlord may keep it in three situations: payment arrears, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and failure to clean and empty the property as required.<\/p>\n Whether you get your money back in full is decided by one thing done a year earlier: a thorough handover protocol with photo documentation. That half hour on moving-in day can turn a potential dispute from an argument about impressions into a comparison of two documents. It is well worth the time.<\/p>\n If you would rather avoid meter-based settlements and responsibility for roommates\u2019 actions, the solution is accommodation with an all-inclusive fee and an individual agreement. Check the offer of Next Door student housing in Krakow<\/a>, browse the answers to the most frequently asked questions<\/a>, or contact us<\/a> to discuss the conditions for the upcoming academic year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A scratch on the countertop you didn\u2019t make. A stain on the carpet that was there before you moved in. A window that sticks, which you mentioned when you moved in, but only verbally. Each of these things, when you move out, can turn into a deduction from your deposit \u2013 and a deposit is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3903,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finances-formalities"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow much the deposit is<\/h3>\n
When a landlord may deduct from the deposit<\/h2>\n
Payment arrears<\/h3>\n
Damage beyond normal wear and tear<\/h3>\n
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Failure to clean or empty the property as agreed<\/h3>\n
Handover protocol \u2013 the document that protects your deposit<\/h2>\n
What the protocol should include<\/h3>\n
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Photos \u2013 an element you must not omit<\/h3>\n
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The most common moving-in mistake<\/h3>\n
Moving out \u2013 how to prepare<\/h2>\n
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What to do if the landlord refuses to return the deposit<\/h3>\n
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The deposit in shared rental \u2013 additional risk<\/h2>\n
How the deposit works in private student accommodation<\/h2>\n
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Checklist \u2013 keep your deposit under control<\/h2>\n
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Summary<\/h2>\n