Does the host have to return the guest deposit personally?
Confused whether you must give the guest their deposit back yourself after checkout?
Actually, deposits aren’t held by hosts and then returned by them.
Here’s how deposits are stored and refunded in practice, and what hosts should pay attention to.
Who holds and who returns short-term rental deposits on SamSamM2?
The platform holds the deposit
A guest’s paid deposit doesn’t go straight into the host’s account for the host to hold.
The platform holds the deposit in escrow and handles the refund after checkout, following set procedures.
So instead of worrying about "when must I return the deposit?", the more important question for hosts is "If there’s a reason to deduct, when and how must I report it?"that the host should focus on.
What does the host need to do?
Hosts don’t need to transfer money or process refunds themselves.
Instead, the host’s role is to ① inspect the property after checkout and ② report any deduction reasons—like damage or unpaid fees—to the platform with supporting evidence.
If there’s no deduction reason, the platform will follow its refund process and return the deposit to the guest.
There are still timings hosts should watch
When must deduction reasons be reported?
There’s no fixed legal grace period, but you should report to the platform as soon as you finish the post-checkout inspection.
If you request deductions after the refund process has started, they may not be applied or could turn into a dispute with the guest.
What happens if you miss reporting?
① The deduction may not be applied and the full deposit could be returned
② Late deduction requests may look unfounded
③ It can lead to disputes or bad reviews from guests
3 steps to handle deposits without disputes on SamSamM2
① Take photos and notes of the property condition at checkout
② If there’s a deductible reason, report it to the platform ASAP with evidence (photos, cost breakdown)
③ If there’s nothing to deduct, do nothing and let the platform handle the refund
What if there’s something to deduct?
If there’s damage or unpaid fees, report them to the platform with evidence before the refund is processed.
A late, unsupported deduction request can actually hurt the host’s case.
One more thing to watch: fees.
Platforms like SamSamM2 take a fee when settling payments, so you’d need to recalculate "what’s left after fees" each time a deposit or rent is refunded — which is tedious and confusing.
plott LIFE currently charges zero fees, so you don’t need those calculations.
You’ll be settled for the exact amount received, making settlements much cleaner.
SamSamM2
plott LIFE
Fees
Fees deducted at settlement
Zero fees
Settlement calculation
Recalculate after fee deduction
Settle for the received amount
FAQ — Common questions about host deposit refunds
Q. Can a host hold the deposit and return it directly to the guest?
A. If you use a short-term rental platform, the deposit is held and refunded by the platform.
The host only needs to report deduction reasons to the platform with evidence when applicable.
Q. How much should the host set the deposit at?
A. Hosts set the deposit amount themselves.
But setting it too high can lower booking conversion, so choose a reasonable amount based on the property and expected risks.
Q. What if I miss the deadline to report deductions?
A. There’s no fixed legal grace period, but if you’re too late the refund may already be processed and the deduction won’t be applied.
So report to the platform as soon as your post-checkout inspection is done.
Q. Does plott LIFE charge settlement fees like SamSamM2?
A. No. plott LIFE has a zero-fee structure.
Platforms like SamSamM2 deduct fees at settlement, but plott LIFE doesn’t take any cut, so you’re settled for the full amount received.
Without fee calculations, settlement is faster and simpler.
plott LIFE charges zero fees, so settlements and refunds stay clean
You no longer need to hold a deposit yourself or worry about settlement fees.
Operate with peace of mind knowing you’ll be settled for what you received.
* The zero-fee benefit applies through 2026-09-30, based on current terms.
plott LIFE — Zero-fee short-term rental platform
Zero fees (current) · Easy contracts · Platform support for damage claims · No listing fees