Deposits: security, electrical and advance rent — recorded once, returned correctly

The three deposits

Security deposit — usually one or two months' rent, held against damage and unpaid bills, returned at move-out less deductions. Advance rent — one or two months paid up front, applied to the last month or months of the tenancy, never returned as cash. Electrical or utility deposit — a fixed sum held against the final meter reading, returned less the last bill.

Recording them

On the client's page, Deposits › Record. Choose the kind, the amount, the date and how it was paid. Each deposit becomes a line on the client's file and on the Deposits held total, and appears on the tenant's portal so both sides hold the same number from day one.

Why deposits are not income

A deposit is a liability — money you owe back. The platform keeps it out of your invoices, your received total and your P&L. It appears on a separate Deposits held report. When advance rent is applied to a month, that is the moment it becomes income, and the platform records it then.

At move-out

The inspection lists deductions, each with a description, an amount and optionally a photo. The return is computed: security plus electrical, minus deductions, minus any unpaid balance. You record the return as a payment out, the tenant sees the itemised statement on their portal, and the deposit lines close. If the result is negative, it becomes a final invoice instead.