Curious about deposit payments and Flatio's policies connected to them? Here you can learn all you need to know about this topic!
What if the host requires a deposit?
The article was updated on 18. 7. 2024.
On Flatio, hosts usually cannot require a security deposit for stays of less than 180 days (6 months). However, exceptions are made in certain regions of some countries, such as in Spain, where local laws require hosts to collect a security deposit, regardless of the length of stay. In such cases, a deposit can be charged even for short-term stays.
If hosts want to collect a deposit, they must set it manually within their Flatio profile. If it's set up, you'll see the amount directly in the listing detail before creating the booking request (after entering the move-in and move-out dates of your stay). It'll then also be officially stated in the lease agreement.
| IMPORTANT: If you are asked to pay a deposit without it being stated on your lease agreement, DON'T PAY the deposit to the host and inform Flatio's support team immediately. Such action by the host violates Flatio's General Terms and Conditions and their listing may be deactivated. |
Please note that if a deposit is applied to your booking, it is considered a full substitute for our Stay Benefits protection plan. Nevertheless, rest assured that you will continue to be covered under our standard StayProtection package, only with the Stay Benefits excluded.
Payment & Billing of the deposit
The deposit has to be transferred to Flatio's bank account on the day the lease starts (which is usually the day you move in) at the latest, and you can pay it conveniently through the My Housing application.
After your stay, the host is then obligated to create a deposit statement which represents the decision about the property's state and the exact amount to be refunded. If no additional costs are due, the host should then return your payment within 14 days after your move out. However, in case any extra deduction needs to be handled, the host has the right to extend the refund period to establish the exact costs.
Feel free to read more details about the payment and billing of the deposit in this article.
