Return the deposit
Keep track of the deposit deadline and record repayments, agreements and claims.
Your tenant's moved out and you're holding their deposit. In BC you have 15 days to deal with it, and the Deposit and move-out tab on the lease page keeps count for you.
Before you start
The tab shows how the tenancy ended, the forwarding address, each deposit and the deadline clock. Do the move-out inspection first. See Inspections.
Record each deposit (security and pet damage) with Record received, using the day you got it. A deposit that isn't recorded as received has no clock.
Make sure the day the tenancy ended is recorded. Then record the tenant's forwarding address: the address, the day you got it in writing, and how. If it changes, record the new one and the old one stays in the history.
Within 15 days of whichever comes later, the tenancy ending or getting the forwarding address in writing, deal with each deposit in one of the three ways below.
The three ways
- Repay. Click Record repayment and enter the amount, the day, how you paid and any interest. We don't work out the interest for you. You can repay a deposit in parts.
- Keep by written agreement. Click Keep by written agreement. This uses the deduction list from the move-out report, and every tenant on the report has to have agreed to it. Repay the rest.
- Apply for a hearing. Click Record claim filed and enter the amount, the day and the file number, then repay the rest. When the order comes in, record it on the claim with the amount you're allowed to keep, or 0 if it was dismissed.
If you enter something wrong, void it with a reason. It stays in the list but no longer counts.
Keep an eye on the clock
The panel shows the due day and how many days are left, based only on what you've recorded. If you miss the due day, you may owe double the deposit.
If the tenant doesn't give you a forwarding address within a year of the tenancy ending, you may keep the deposit.
Pet damage deposits
The pet damage deposit only covers damage from pets. If you've lost the right to claim for damage, repay it within the 15 days. Lines for cleaning, rent and utilities belong on the security deposit, so move them there.
No move-out inspection?
The page says Move-out inspection recommended and the button becomes Repay without inspection. You'll need to give a reason (leave personal details out of it), and you may lose the right to claim for damage.