How to Release a Security Deposit and Return the Remaining Amount to a Tenant

This article will walk you through the process of releasing a security deposit and/or paying move-out charges with the security deposit. Then refund any remaining amount to the tenant.

Find the specific lease that you would like to refund the security deposit

1. 1. Click on Leases on the left side of the screen
   2. In the search field, type the tenant(s) name or the address for the lease
   3. When you have located the lease, click on it
   4. You can also search for the tenant, property or lease in the global search then click on the lease.

1. Add any necessary additional charges to the lease

(ex. tenant damages)

1. 1. While in the lease, to add charges, click on the green Actions button, and then click on Add Charge
   2. Select a char of accounts
   3. Enter the charge amount
   4. Select the date posted for the charge
   5. Add a description to the charge.
   6. Click Save, or Save and Add Another to add multiple charges.

2. Release the Deposit

• Click on the green Actions button, and click on Release Deposit
• Enter the Date Posted
• Enter in the full Amount of the deposit at the top
• Fill in a Description
• In the Deposit Balances section, enter in the full amount of the deposit again in the Security Deposit field in the middle under Release Amount

Allocate Funds to Charges Created from the Security Deposit

If you created charges, you should see them under the Pay Charges section.

Fill in the amount of money you would like to apply to those charges in the Amount to Pay field if you want to pay those charges using part of the security deposit.

You should now see the Total Open Credit amount at the bottom has changed. This will be the total security deposit less any charges that you are paying from this security deposit.

Click on the green Post button at the bottom right

Refund the Tenant

1. Go back into the lease
2. Click on the green Actions button, and click on Refund
3. Fill out the information:
   1. Account, Name on check and Date posted will automatically populate. Edit if necessary. Enter a check # if paying by physical check.  
   2. For Payment Address, you can leave this blank if the tenant contact has an address. If not, you can click on Custom Address to the right to fill in an address 
   3. Enter in the amount you would like to refund in the Amount to Refund field (this will default to the total open credit)
   4. Click the green Refund button at the bottom
      
      
      
      
      
4. On the next screen, click the green Actions button
5. Select Print Checks, and mail the check to the tenant

The final step is recording a bank transfer within Rentvine.

The final step will only apply to you if you return security deposit money from a bank account that is separate from the bank account that you hold that money for the duration of the lease (i.e. you hold security deposits in a separate escrow security deposit bank account, but you refund the money to the tenant from your operating trust rental account). If this step does apply to you, then you will want to transfer the money at your bank, and you will also want to record a new bank transfer in Rentvine as well to account for the transfer at your bank.