Manitoba Security Deposits: How Much a Landlord Can Charge and How You Get It Back

A security deposit is often the first money a Manitoba tenant hands over, and it is often the last money a tenant waits for on the way out. The good news is that Manitoba sets firm rules for how much a landlord can take, what the landlord can later claim, and how fast the money must come back. This guide walks through those rules in plain language.

What a security deposit is

A security deposit is money a tenant pays to a landlord before the tenancy begins. Many people in Manitoba call it a damage deposit, but the legal name in The Residential Tenancies Act is security deposit. The landlord holds the money for the whole tenancy. It is not rent, and it is not a fee the landlord earns.

Manitoba actually has three kinds of deposits, and each one has its own limit and its own purpose.

1. Security deposit. This is the standard deposit. It covers obligations such as unpaid rent, damage, and extraordinary cleaning costs when the tenancy ends.
2. Pet damage deposit. A landlord who allows a pet can ask for this deposit before the pet moves in. It can only be claimed for damage or cleaning costs caused by the pet. A landlord cannot charge a pet damage deposit for a tenant who relies on a service animal.
3. Tenant services security deposit. In buildings that provide tenant services, such as meals or personal care, a landlord can ask for a deposit against unpaid tenant services charges and related money owed.

How much a landlord can charge

The limits are set by law, and a landlord who collects more than the limit must return the extra money to the tenant with interest.

1. A security deposit cannot be more than one half of the first month of rent. If your rent is 1,200 dollars a month, the most a landlord can ask for is 600 dollars.
2. A pet damage deposit collected on or after August 1, 2014 can be up to one full month of rent, on top of the security deposit. Tenants who already paid a pet damage deposit before that date cannot be asked to top it up to the higher amount.
3. A tenant services security deposit can be no more than one half of one month of tenant services charges.

So a tenant with a pet in a 1,200 dollar unit could lawfully be asked for 600 dollars in security deposit plus up to 1,200 dollars in pet damage deposit. Anything beyond the legal limits is an overpayment, and the Branch can order a landlord to return it.

Get a receipt, every time

Your landlord must give you a receipt for your security deposit. The receipt should show three things: the amount of the deposit, the date you paid it, and the address of your rental unit. Keep that receipt with your tenancy agreement for the entire tenancy. Years later, if there is any disagreement about what you paid, the receipt settles it.

What happens to the money during your tenancy

The landlord holds your deposit until you move out, and the deposit earns interest at the rate set by provincial regulation. That interest belongs to you, and it is added to your refund when the tenancy ends.

Getting your deposit back

If the landlord has no claim against your deposits, the landlord must return the money within 14 days of the end of the tenancy, with interest. Two practical points matter here.

First, give your landlord your new address. The Branch is blunt about this point. It is your responsibility to give the landlord your new address so the deposit can reach you, and a landlord cannot return money to a person they cannot find.

Second, if more than one tenant is on the agreement, the landlord should make the refund cheque payable to all of the tenants, unless the tenants have told the landlord otherwise in writing. Roommates who want a different arrangement should put that instruction in writing before the tenancy ends.

When a landlord can claim part or all of it

A landlord can claim against a security deposit for unpaid rent, damage to the unit, extraordinary cleaning costs, or another obligation of the tenant under the tenancy. A claim against a pet damage deposit is narrower. It can only cover damage or cleaning costs the landlord suffers because of the pet.

The deposit exists for real loss, and a landlord who wants to keep money has to make a claim rather than simply keep it. If the landlord is making a claim, you must receive a copy of that claim within 28 days of the end of your tenancy. You and your landlord can also settle a claim by agreement in writing, and a signed agreement ends the matter, so read it carefully before you sign.

Your security deposit cannot be applied to your last month of rent unless both you and your landlord agree. Skipping the final rent payment and pointing at the deposit is not allowed on its own.

If the landlord cannot find you

Sometimes a tenancy ends, a landlord has a claim, and the tenant has vanished. The landlord can still ask the Branch to decide the claim. The Branch sends a copy of the claim to the tenant at the last known address, in case mail is being forwarded. If the tenant does not respond, the Branch can decide who gets the deposit, but it cannot issue that decision until at least 60 days after the end of the tenancy. Any part of the deposit the landlord is not claiming is sent to the Branch, which holds it for the tenant for up to two years. After two years, unclaimed money goes into the Security Deposit Compensation Fund, and the tenant is no longer entitled to it.

Practical steps that protect your deposit

1. Do a move in condition report with your landlord, and sign it together. The Branch provides the form, and the report may be used as evidence if a damage claim is made later.
2. Take dated photos of every room on the day you move in, especially floors, walls, appliances, and any existing marks.
3. Keep your deposit receipt and your tenancy agreement in one place.
4. Do a move out condition report with your landlord and bring your copy of the move in report with you.
5. Give your landlord your new address in writing before you hand back the keys.
6. Keep copies of cleaning receipts and any messages about repairs or damage.

Common mistakes

Paying too much up front. A landlord who asks for a full month of rent as a security deposit is asking for twice the legal limit in Manitoba. Ask for the amount to be corrected before you pay.

Treating the deposit as the last month of rent. Without agreement from your landlord, that swap is not permitted, and you can end up with a rent owing record on top of a deposit dispute.

Moving out without leaving an address. The 14 day return clock assumes the landlord can reach you. No address means delays, Branch involvement, and in the worst case your money ends up in a compensation fund after two years.

Skipping the condition reports. Without a signed record of the state of the unit when you moved in, a damage claim becomes your word against the landlord. The reports and your photos are the cheapest protection you will ever arrange.

Arguing instead of using the Branch. If a deposit does not come back, or a claim seems wrong, the Residential Tenancies Branch can help resolve the dispute, including through mediation or a hearing. In Winnipeg, call 204 945 2476. The toll free number in Manitoba is 1 800 782 8403.

A quick note on what this page is

This page is general legal information about Manitoba tenancy rules, written in plain language. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the Residential Tenancies Branch, a lawyer, or a community legal clinic for advice about your own situation. Rules and forms change, so confirm the current details with the Branch before you act on a deadline. This page was verified against official Manitoba sources on October 14, 2026.