deposit
An amount of money presented to the owner as a security when leasing a property.
A deposit is a predefined amount of money given, usually for the duration of the lease, to a property's owner or owner's agent by the party leasing that property. According to the terms of the deposit, it may be repaid after the end of the lease, subtracted eventually from the rent, or repaid in stages. The purpose is normally to protect the owner from unexpected costs stemming from the renter's usage of the property, such as damage and excessive deterioration.
The money is held or applied under the deposit terms associated with the lease. Its eventual return, use toward rent, or repayment in stages depends on those terms.
The deposit is distinct from the rental cost of occupying space. Its usual security purpose concerns unexpected costs from the tenant's use, rather than the price per unit of floor area.