Write the deposit rules down — ‘standard deduction’ at move-out without photos is how disputes start.
Security deposits are contractual sums held against unpaid rent or damage. Civil Code and local practice influence reasonableness, but the lease text and handover evidence decide most fights. This wiki is deposit handling. Residential and commercial leases set context. Registration does not replace a receipt. Foreign tenants should avoid cash-only undocumented deposits.
4 questions before you choose the route.
This page identifies the right question and evidence. It does not determine the legal outcome on a reader’s facts.
Amount and lawful use stated?
Clause.
ClauseReceipt/bank proof kept?
Evidence.
ProofMove-in/out condition recorded?
Photos.
ConditionDeduction itemised?
Exit.
ExitWorking rule: Map the regulated role before marketing or launch in China.
The signal ledger.
These facts move the question beyond a label and into a product, money-flow and control analysis.
Bring a compact evidence docket—not a pitch deck.
Give a compliance team or counsel the operating facts that reveal the perimeter.
Questions people ask before they build.
Short answers for orientation. The right result can change with the service model and current rules.
Is one month deposit a legal cap?
Practice often clusters around 1–2 months for homes; commercial differs. Check the signed lease and local rules.
Where is residential leasing?
Open /residential-leases-in-china.
Primary authorities
Reviewed sources support orientation, not a fact-specific assessment.