Your security deposit is often the single biggest chunk of money you hand over when renting. Escrow protection keeps that money safe in a neutral account until the tenancy ends cleanly, instead of sitting in the owner’s personal account where disputes get messy.
What is escrow, really?
Escrow is a three-party arrangement. You, the owner, and HeavenLease as the neutral custodian. The deposit is parked in a dedicated escrow account the moment you sign. Neither side can touch it unilaterally — it is released only when both parties agree, or when an admin resolves a dispute according to the documented policy.
What escrow protects against
- Owner keeps the deposit without reason — funds cannot be moved out without the joint release.
- Tenant damages and disappears — verified claims backed by the documented move-in inspection report.
- Ambiguous make-good clauses — the checklist from move-in becomes the single source of truth.
- Inflated repair bills — itemised deductions must be justified and, if challenged, reviewed by our team.
The 3-step release flow
Step 1 — Move-out inspection. Both sides walk the property against the move-in checklist and agree on deductions, if any.
Step 2 — Joint approval. You and the owner approve the release amount inside the app. The money leaves escrow within one working day.
Step 3 — Dispute path. If there is disagreement, either side can flag the case for our team. We review evidence from both parties and rule within 7 working days, and the deposit is released accordingly.
How to keep your deposit safe as a tenant
- Photograph every room, wall, and fixture on move-in day and upload the photos as your inspection record.
- Get written confirmation of any pre-existing damage from the owner.
- Keep rent receipts and all payment proofs on the platform.
- Serve the agreed notice period and share proof of the move-out cleanup.