At the time of signing a lease, the security deposit remains one of the most sensitive points, because it affects both the move-in budget and the risk of dispute upon exit. In practice, however, the law regulates its amount quite precisely according to the type of rental, as well as the situations in which it cannot be required. This framework is useful because it prevents a landlord from asking for a disproportionate amount whereas, for a primary residence subject to the law of July 6, 1989, the ceiling is set at 1 month's rent excluding charges for unfurnished rentals and 2 months' rent excluding charges for furnished rentals, with a notable exception when the rent is paid in advance for more than 2 months.
Le montant légal du dépôt de garantie
Security deposit in unfurnished rentals
In unfurnished rentals, the rule is clear: the security deposit cannot exceed 1 month's rent excluding charges. This cap applies to primary residence leases under the law of July 6, 1989, which covers the vast majority of unfurnished rentals concluded with individuals. Concretely, for a rent of €780 excluding charges, the owner cannot ask for €1,200 as a security deposit: it is limited to €780.
This point deserves to be highlighted, as many tenants still confuse the security deposit, the first month's rent, and potential agency fees. Legally, however, these are three distinct sums. The security deposit is not intended to finance the final months of rent nor to cover just any expense of the landlord: it only serves, at the end of the lease, to guarantee sums still owed or legally justified deductions. Service-Public also reminds us that the tenant cannot use this sum to "skip" their last month's rent.
Security deposit in furnished rentals
In furnished rentals constituting the tenant's primary residence, the cap rises to 2 months' rent excluding charges. The difference with unfurnished rentals is significant: it reflects the presence of furniture and equipment provided, which can increase the financial risk borne by the landlord in the event of damage or unpaid rent. For a monthly rent of €950 excluding charges, a security deposit of €1,900 therefore remains legal, while a higher request would fall outside the framework provided by law.
In practice, this 2-month cap does not mean that a landlord must systematically go to the maximum. It is a limit, not a mandatory amount. This is an important point editorially as well as practically: a lease can perfectly well provide for a lower deposit, or even no deposit at all. However, whenever a sum is requested, it must comply with the cap applicable to the type of rental concerned.
Cases without a security deposit
Finally, there is an often-overlooked situation in which no security deposit can be required: when the rent is payable in advance for a period exceeding 2 months. The legal text says so expressly. The idea is simple: if the landlord already receives several months' rent in advance, they cannot combine this advance with an additional security deposit.
The law, however, provides for an important nuance. If the tenant, after having accepted this method of payment in advance, subsequently asks to switch to monthly rent payments, the landlord can then require a security deposit. This case is less frequent, but it changes the situation in certain files, particularly when the rental relationship evolves during the lease. Clearly, the absence of a security deposit is not always final: it also depends on the concrete terms of the rent payment.
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The legal deadline for return
Refund within one month
The most favorable period for the tenant is 1 month. It applies when the exit inventory is consistent with the entry inventory, in other words when no difference reveals degradation attributable to the tenant. In this configuration, the owner must return the security deposit quickly, even if they always retain the possibility of deducting sums actually owed, for example a rent balance or a duly justified adjustment of charges.
In practical terms, this means that a tenant who has paid an €800 security deposit for an empty rental can recover the full amount within the month following the return of the keys if the property is returned in good condition and without rental debt. This is an important rule, because it prevents a landlord from dragging out the refund without a real reason. The ANIL points out, moreover, that the consistency between the two inventory reports triggers this reduced 1-month period, which secures the departure from the accommodation.
Refund within two months
The period increases to 2 months when the comparison between the entry inventory and the exit inventory reveals differences allowing for justified withholdings. Degradations come to mind first, but this is not the only case: the landlord may also need to precisely determine certain sums remaining due before returning the balance. The logic of the text is simple: the more the exit situation is debated or documented, the longer the period granted to the owner.
However, a common confusion must be avoided: 2 months does not mean total freedom for the landlord. This delay remains a legal maximum. If the supporting documents are already available and the balance can be calculated quickly, nothing prevents an earlier return. In practice, this 2-month period protects the establishment of a serious calculation, but it does not authorize inaction or vague withholdings.
The starting point after the return of the keys
The starting point of the period does not correspond to the theoretical end date of the lease, nor to the day of the move, but to the actual return of the keys. This is a decisive detail in the event of a dispute. Article 22 of the Law of July 6, 1989 provides that the period runs from the return of the keys by the tenant to the landlord or their agent. ANIL specifies that this return can take place in person or by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt depending on the circumstances.
In fact, a few days' difference can change a lot. A tenant who physically leaves the accommodation on June 28 but does not return the keys until July 2 starts the period from July 2, and not from the material departure date. It is for this reason that it is always useful to keep a dated proof of the return of the keys, especially when the relationship with the owner has become strained at the time of the inventory.
Penalties in case of delay
When the security deposit is not returned within the legal period, the law provides for an automatic sanction: the sum remaining due to the tenant is increased by 10% of the monthly rent excluding charges for each started month of delay. The calculation is therefore not based on the amount of the security deposit, but on the monthly rent excluding charges. For a rent of €900 excluding charges, the penalty reaches €90 per started month. After 2 months of delay, it can therefore represent an additional €180, in addition to the deposit to be refunded.
However, this increase is not due if the delay results from the tenant's failure to provide their new address. This point is often underestimated even though it has a concrete effect: a tenant who wants to quickly recover their security deposit would do well to provide a clear and traceable forwarding address. In reality, this simple formality can prevent the landlord from invoking a cause for blockage and the tenant from losing the benefit of legal penalties.
Les retenues légales autorisées
Les loyers et charges impayés
Le dépôt de garantie en location n’est pas une somme bloquée sans usage possible pour le bailleur. La loi l’autorise à imputer sur ce montant les sommes qui restent réellement dues par le locataire au moment de son départ. Cela vise d’abord les loyers impayés et les charges non réglées, à condition que ces montants soient identifiables et justifiables. Le principe est posé par l’article 22 de la loi du 6 juillet 1989 : le dépôt de garantie est restitué, déduction faite, le cas échéant, des sommes restant dues au bailleur et de celles dont il pourrait être tenu à la place du locataire, sous réserve qu’elles soient dûment justifiées.
Dans les faits, la retenue doit correspondre à une dette locative réelle, pas à une estimation floue. Un propriétaire peut retenir, par exemple, 350 € de loyer restant dû ou un solde de charges de 90 €, mais il ne peut pas bloquer l’intégralité d’un dépôt de garantie de 900 € sans expliquer précisément à quoi correspond la somme conservée. C’est là que beaucoup de litiges commencent : non pas sur le principe de la retenue, qui est légal, mais sur l’absence de détail dans le décompte transmis au locataire.
Les réparations locatives justifiées
Le bailleur peut également retenir sur le dépôt de garantie les frais liés à des réparations locatives lorsque ces réparations relèvent des obligations normales d’entretien du locataire et qu’elles n’ont pas été exécutées avant son départ. C’est le cas, par exemple, d’un entretien insuffisant, d’équipements laissés détériorés ou d’éléments du logement qui auraient dû être maintenus en bon état d’usage courant. L’ANIL rappelle que si l’état des lieux de sortie met en évidence des dégradations causées par le locataire, le coût des réparations peut être déduit du dépôt de garantie, à condition de pouvoir le justifier.
Concrètement, un robinet cassé, une porte intérieure endommagée ou un revêtement dégradé par manque d’entretien peuvent donner lieu à retenue, tandis qu’un simple rafraîchissement du logement après plusieurs années d’occupation ne relève pas automatiquement du locataire. Ce qui compte, ce n’est pas le ressenti du propriétaire, mais le lien entre la dégradation constatée, l’obligation locative en cause et le montant réclamé. Autrement dit, le dépôt de garantie en location peut couvrir des réparations, mais pas des travaux de confort ou de remise à neuf décidés librement par le bailleur.
Les dégradations hors usure normale
C’est souvent la frontière la plus délicate. Le locataire répond des dégradations imputables à son usage, mais il n’a pas à financer l’usure normale du logement, aussi appelée vétusté. Avec le temps, une peinture ternit, un sol se patine, des joints vieillissent, et cette évolution n’est pas, en soi, une faute. En revanche, des trous très nombreux, une moquette brûlée, une porte arrachée ou des équipements manifestement cassés sortent du cadre d’une usure normale et peuvent justifier une retenue.
This distinction changes everything at the time of reimbursement. After 6 or 7 years of occupancy, it is normal that a property no longer presents the exact condition of the early days. The landlord cannot, therefore, use the rental security deposit to make the tenant bear the ordinary wear and tear of the property. On the other hand, if the wear and tear has been exacerbated by a lack of maintenance or by damage clearly attributable to the occupant, the deduction becomes possible again. This is precisely why the exit inventory, compared to the entry inventory, remains the central piece of any solid file.
Les justificatifs qui rendent les retenues valables
Les états des lieux comparés
C’est le socle de tout le raisonnement. Pour qu’une retenue sur le dépôt de garantie en location tienne juridiquement, le propriétaire doit pouvoir comparer l’état du logement à l’entrée et à la sortie. Sans cette mise en parallèle, il devient beaucoup plus difficile d’imputer une dégradation au locataire, puisque la preuve de l’écart manque. Service-Public cite d’ailleurs expressément les états des lieux d’entrée et de sortie parmi les justificatifs recevables en cas de retenue.
Dans les faits, ce ne sont pas deux documents isolés qui comptent, mais leur confrontation. Un mur déjà taché à l’entrée, un sol déjà rayé ou un équipement déjà affaibli ne peuvent pas être refacturés comme s’ils avaient été dégradés en fin de bail. À l’inverse, si l’état des lieux de sortie fait apparaître une détérioration absente du document d’entrée, le bailleur dispose d’un point d’appui solide pour justifier une retenue. C’est précisément ce mécanisme qui explique pourquoi le délai de restitution passe de 1 mois à 2 mois lorsque les deux états des lieux ne sont pas conformes.
Les devis et factures recevables
Un propriétaire ne peut pas se contenter d’annoncer un montant global sans pièces à l’appui. En cas de retenue, il doit remettre des documents justificatifs, parmi lesquels Service-Public mentionne expressément les factures ou devis de travaux, mais aussi les photos, les constats de commissaire de justice ou encore les lettres de réclamation pour loyers impayés restées sans réponse. Autrement dit, la retenue doit reposer sur des éléments concrets, datés et cohérents avec ce qui est reproché au locataire.
Il faut aussi éviter un contresens fréquent : la loi n’impose pas nécessairement que les travaux soient déjà réalisés pour que la retenue soit justifiée. Un devis sérieux peut suffire à établir le coût prévisible d’une remise en état, à condition qu’il corresponde à une dégradation objectivement constatée. En revanche, un montant forfaitaire sorti sans détail, ou une estimation manifestement disproportionnée par rapport aux dommages relevés, fragilise fortement la position du bailleur. Le dépôt de garantie en location peut couvrir un préjudice prouvé, pas une somme arbitraire.
Les provisions sur charges en copropriété
Lorsque le logement se situe dans une copropriété, la sortie du locataire peut se compliquer à cause de la régularisation des charges. La loi permet alors au propriétaire de conserver une provision sur le dépôt de garantie en attendant l’arrêté annuel des comptes de l’immeuble. Cette faculté est strictement encadrée : le montant retenu doit être justifié par des documents, et il ne peut pas dépasser 20 % du dépôt de garantie.
Ce point change la lecture de nombreux dossiers. Un locataire peut croire que le remboursement est incomplet alors que le bailleur conserve légalement une fraction limitée dans l’attente de la régularisation. Mais là encore, le cadre est précis : dans le mois qui suit l’approbation définitive des comptes de l’immeuble, le propriétaire doit faire la régularisation définitive et reverser le solde restant dû. La loi autorise donc une retenue provisoire, pas un gel indéfini des sommes.
Les retenues interdites ou abusives
À l’inverse, une retenue devient contestable lorsqu’elle ne repose sur aucun justificatif, lorsqu’elle correspond à une simple usure normale, ou lorsqu’elle finance des dépenses qui ne sont pas imputables au locataire. Service-Public rappelle que les retenues doivent être justifiées par des pièces précises ; sans cela, le locataire est en droit de les contester. En clair, un propriétaire ne peut pas conserver une partie du dépôt de garantie en location simplement parce qu’il estime le logement “moins frais” qu’au premier jour.
In practice, the most frequent abuses are flat-rate amounts, full repainting without proof of actual deterioration, or vague deductions labeled "cleaning," "work," or "refreshing" without a detailed document. What changes the game is the logic of proof: without a comparative move-in/move-out inspection, without an admissible estimate or invoice, and without a clear link between the amount withheld and the rental obligation in question, the deduction becomes legally fragile. This is exactly why the amicable dispute phase and then, if necessary, the formal notice, often remains decisive for recovering the balance.
Recourse for recovering the security deposit
Amicable request to the owner
When the rental security deposit is not returned within the legal period, the first reflex should remain the amicable approach. In practice, many disputes are resolved as soon as the tenant reminds the landlord in writing of the date the keys were returned, the applicable period of 1 month or 2 months, and the exact amount they estimate they should get back. This step is useful because it often allows a case to be unblocked without immediately initiating a more formal procedure, especially when the delay stems from simple silence from the landlord or a poorly explained statement. (service-public.fr ; anil.org)
In fact, a simple letter or a summary email can already establish a clear framework: move-out date, security deposit amount, absence or insufficiency of supporting documents, and a reminder of any legal penalties. This approach is not merely symbolic. It also serves to build a written history, which becomes valuable if the disagreement continues. The tenant thus shows that they have attempted a reasonable resolution before going further. (service-public.fr)
Formal notice to return the deposit
If the amicable reminder remains ineffective, it is necessary to move to a formal notice (mise en demeure). Service-Public specifies that when the owner or the agency does not return the security deposit within the expected period, the tenant must formally demand its return. This letter must be sent by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt, which formally dates the request and establishes that the landlord has indeed been summoned to pay. An official template for the letter is also provided by the administration. (service-public.fr ; service-public.fr)
This step has real practical significance, as it allows for the claim not only of the remaining security deposit due but also the legal surcharge of 10% of the monthly rent excluding charges for each month of delay started. For a rent excluding charges of €700, the penalty therefore reaches €70 per month started. And this is where the power balance changes: a delay that seemed "bearable" for the landlord can quickly cost them more than an immediate refund. (service-public.fr)
Conciliation before court
When the formal notice is not enough, the tenant can refer the matter to the departmental conciliation commission (CDC). For disputes relating to the security deposit, this referral is optional, but it is often relevant because it remains free and specifically aims to avoid judicial litigation. ANIL reminds us that the CDC's objective is to reach an amicable settlement of the dispute, with a balanced composition of representatives from landlords and tenants. (anil.org ; legifrance.gouv.fr)
The procedure is relatively accessible. According to ANIL, the tenant can refer the matter to the CDC electronically or by registered mail addressed to the secretariat of the competent commission, i.e., that of the department where the accommodation is located. The parties are then summoned to attempt an agreement, and the commission renders an opinion within 2 months of its referral. If no agreement is reached, the tenant can then refer the matter to the judicial court, more specifically the protection litigation judge. (anil.org ; anil.org)
What to remember
Ultimately, recovering a rental security deposit rests less on a logic of confrontation than on a logic of evidence and method. The legal framework is precise: 1 month or 2 months depending on the inventory of fixtures, a cap of 1 month's rent excluding charges for unfurnished rentals and 2 months for furnished rentals, a withholding limited to justified amounts, a provision capped at 20% for certain co-ownership charges, and a penalty of 10% of the monthly rent excluding charges per started month of delay. When a landlord respects these rules, the refund is made without difficulty; when they deviate from them, the tenant has concrete tools to assert their rights, from an amicable request to conciliation and finally to a judge. (service-public.fr ; service-public.fr ; anil.org)