Renting a home · Home and routines
deposit
upfront rental payment
Money paid at the start of a rental agreement that may be returned later.
This vs that
I paid a deposit before I moved in.
I pay the rent on the first of each month.
Hear it in real life
How much was the deposit?
Two months' rent, which was a lot to find.
The landlord kept part of my deposit because there was a stain on the carpet.
Which sounds natural?
Psst — which one would you actually say?
'Deposit' and 'upfront' are the natural everyday terms; the stiff version sounds like a legal notice.
The mistake everyone makes
Not: I paid ‸ deposit before moving into the flat.
Say: I paid a deposit before moving into the flat.
Use an article with a singular countable 'deposit'.
Say it together
Whole chunks natives use with it.
pay a deposit
We had to pay a deposit before the landlord accepted our application.
I don't mind paying a deposit if I know I'll get it back.
Phrases to borrow
More for talking about renting a home.
view a property
We’re viewing a property near the station tomorrow.
sign a tenancy agreement
We signed a tenancy agreement for twelve months.
Renting a home words
Home and routines · Renting a home: the words around “deposit”.
More connectionsMore renting a home words7
More renting a home words
Your turn: say it out loud
We had to pay a big deposit upfront.
Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.
deposit
upfront rental payment
“The landlord kept part of my deposit because there was a stain on the carpet.”
heytardy