Security deposit
Money a resident pays a community to hold against unpaid rent or damage; state law often governs limits, handling, and return.
Published May 31, 2026
A security deposit is money a resident pays a community at the start of a tenancy to hold against unpaid rent or damage. If the resident meets their obligations, the deposit is generally returned, sometimes minus documented deductions.
For manufactured-home lot tenancies, state law often governs security deposits — how much may be charged, how the money must be held, what may be deducted, and how quickly it must be returned after a tenancy ends, sometimes with an itemized statement. The specifics live in that state's law and in the lot rental agreement.
Because a lot tenancy involves the ground rather than a dwelling owned by the community, what a deposit can properly cover may differ from an ordinary apartment rental. This is general information, not legal advice.