The classification screen

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.

01

Amount and lawful use stated?

Clause.

Clause
02

Receipt/bank proof kept?

Evidence.

Proof
03

Move-in/out condition recorded?

Photos.

Condition
04

Deduction itemised?

Exit.

Exit

Working rule: 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.

What changes the answer

The signal ledger.

These facts move the question beyond a label and into a product, money-flow and control analysis.

Signal
Ask the operating question
Why it changes the route
Cash to agent, no landlord receipt
Recovery risk.
Fix.
Blanket ‘renovation deduction’
Fight.
Itemise.
Ignore commercial vs residential norms
Amount disputes.
Context.
Prepare before you escalate

Bring a compact evidence docket—not a pitch deck.

Give a compliance team or counsel the operating facts that reveal the perimeter.

01Lease deposit clauseRules.
02Payment proofPaid.
03Handover checklist/photosCondition.
Common confusions

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?

Use the linked specialist resource when Security Deposits in China Leases turns on detailed evidence, procedure or risk assessment.

Primary authorities

Reviewed sources support orientation, not a fact-specific assessment.

Ministry of Natural Resources
National laws database (NPC)
SAFE (remittance overlays)
Local housing / real-estate authorities