What is a holding deposit and how do I ask about it in English?
A holding deposit is money paid to reserve a flat while the landlord checks your references and your ability to pay the rent. In England it is capped at one week's rent, and it is not the tenancy deposit you pay when you sign.
A holding deposit is money paid to reserve a flat while the landlord checks your references and your ability to pay the rent. In England it is capped at one week's rent, and it is not the tenancy deposit you pay when you sign. How much is the holding deposit, what does it come off, and when is it refunded if the tenancy does not go ahead? gets the amount, the set-off and the refund condition in one sentence.
Ask for the answer in writing before you transfer. The two dates that matter are when the money comes off your first payment if you sign, and when it comes back if you do not.
A holding deposit also buys exclusivity: once an agent takes one, they must stop showing the flat to other people. An agent can only hold one holding deposit on a property at a time, so ask whether anyone else has paid one, and get the refund date written on the receipt you are given. If the tenancy goes ahead, the money normally comes off your first month's rent or the tenancy deposit; ask which, because the answer changes how much cash you need on move-in day.