The Tricity Security Deposit Guide — What is Normal, What is a Scam
The security deposit is where most Tricity rental money quietly disappears. Landlords call it "adjustable", tenants forget it exists, and somewhere between move-in and move-out the number stops being refundable. Here is what is normal, what is not, and how to protect your money.
What is standard in Tricity
- Flats: one to two months of rent. Two months is common in Chandigarh sectors; one month is increasingly normal in Mohali and Zirakpur societies.
- PGs: one month or less. Many PGs ask only ₹2,000-₹5,000.
- Hostels: usually one month, sometimes bundled with the first mess payment.
What the deposit legally covers
Damage beyond normal wear, and unpaid dues. That is it. It does not cover repainting the whole flat because you lived in it, replacing a geyser that died of old age, or "cleaning charges" invented on move-out day. Normal wear — scuffed paint, minor nail holes, faded curtains — is the cost of renting a place to a human being.
Protecting your deposit: before you move in
- Get a written agreement that names the deposit amount and the refund terms. Even a one-page signed note beats a verbal promise.
- Photograph everything on day one — walls, fittings, furniture, meter reading — and send the photos to the owner in chat so there is a timestamped record.
- Pay the deposit by UPI or bank transfer, never cash without a receipt.
Getting it back: when you move out
Give proper notice as per your agreement, do a walk-through with the owner, and agree on any deductions on the spot with numbers attached. If an owner stalls, a calm written summary of the agreement, your day-one photos and the payment record usually resolves it — most disputes die when the paper trail is obvious. On StayLok, your chat with the owner is end-to-end encrypted and stays with you, which is exactly the record you want.
The scam patterns to refuse
- "Deposit is non-refundable" — say no before you pay; refundable is the default.
- A deposit demanded before you have seen the property or verified the owner.
- Deductions quoted without a walkthrough or without itemized costs.