Yes.

If mould and humidity damage are clearly related to lack of ventilation and cleaning during your stay, the landlord can:

• charge cleaning and repainting costs,

• charge for damaged furniture, curtains, mattresses or other items,

• deduct these costs from your security deposit.

Examples of tenant-related damage:

• thick mould behind wardrobes pressed tightly to outside walls,

• heavy mould in bathroom where there is a window that was almost never opened,

• windows and frames black with mould and never cleaned,

• rotten silicone and grout due to months of standing water and no cleaning.

The security deposit is:

• a fixed amount of money paid at the start of the tenancy,
• held as a guarantee,
• used to cover unpaid rent, utilities, cleaning or damage,
• limited to the amount you paid (for example 500–800 EUR).

Insurance is:

• a separate contract with an insurance company,
• usually covering bigger or unexpected risks (e.g. fire, water damage, liability towards neighbours),
• able to cover costs that are higher than your deposit, depending on the policy.

Simply said: the deposit is not insurance, and insurance is not a deposit – they work together, not instead of each other.

Check out the DAMAGE section

Yes, the security deposit is refundable, provided that:

you have paid all rent, utilities and other charges, and you return the property in the agreed condition, without damage beyond normal wear and tear.

If there is unpaid rent or utilities, damage, missing items or other costs as defined in your Tenancy Agreement, part or all of the deposit may be kept to cover these costs. You will be informed about any deductions and the reason for them.

You can receive your deposit back after:

• Rent amounts according to the tenancy agreement has been paid
• Bills(utilities) for the property have been paid, delivered and calculated
• The tenancy has ended according to the end rental dates
• The check-out inspection has been completed
• All rent, utilities and other agreed charges have been paid.

The landlord checks the condition of the property and reports to the tenants and sometimes the agency. If there is no damage and no unpaid amounts, the full deposit is returned to you. 

If there is damage or unpaid amounts, the corresponding costs may be deducted from the deposit, and the remaining balance (if any) is returned to you.

In some cases, and only if you and the landlord/agency agree, the final utilities for the last month can be deducted from the deposit instead of being paid separately. This must be clearly agreed in advance.

You normally pay the security deposit:

• after your booking is approved and before you move in.

In most cases you pay the deposit together with, or immediately after, the service fee.

HomeInZagreb will send you clear payment instructions (bank transfer or online payment link). Your booking is only fully confirmed after the security deposit (and service fee) has been paid within the deadline stated in the offer or email.

The security deposit can be used, for example, to cover:

unpaid rent,
unpaid utilities or other charges related to the tenancy,
damage to the property, furniture or equipment beyond normal wear and tear,
missing or broken items, keys, access cards or remotes,
extra cleaning if the property is not left in an acceptable and reasonably clean condition,
costs or fees that arise if you break or end the contract earlier than agreed, as described in your Tenancy Agreement.

You cannot use the deposit to pay your regular monthly rent or utilities during the tenancy. Monthly payments must still be paid on time, as agreed in the contract.

The security deposit is an amount of money you pay before moving in, as a financial guarantee for the landlord and the agency.

You do not pay this to the landlord directly – the deposit is paid to the agency and held as security for your obligations under the Tenancy Agreement.

The security deposit is separate from the monthly rent, utilities and the HomeInZagreb service fee. It is not a prepayment of rent.

The exact amount of the security deposit depends on:

• the property,
• the landlord’s conditions, and the length and type of your stay.

You will always see the exact deposit amount in the offer from HomeInZagreb and in your Tenancy Agreement, before you make any payment.

The deposit amount usually equals the amount of 1 or 2 months rent.

If there is any difference between this text and your signed Tenancy Agreement, the Tenancy Agreement is always the main reference.