Have you ever looked for a short-term lease and ended up giving up on a place you liked because the deposit was higher than expected? Technically, a deposit is money you’re supposed to get back. But in reality, deposit amounts vary widely from home to home—and when the number is large, paying it upfront can feel like a major burden, especially for a short stay. Deposits are meant to be returned, but they vary so much from home to home. When the amount is too high, the deposit becomes a heavy burden, especially when staying for a while.

To solve this issue, 33m2 applies the same deposit to every lease: 330,000 KRW. To help you feel more confident and informed when starting a lease, we’ve put together what a 33m2 deposit means—and answered our most frequently asked questions.

1. What Is a 33m2 Deposit?

In general leases, a deposit is a sum paid upfront to help ensure two things during the lease period: that rent will be paid as agreed, and that the property will be used responsibly. If the tenant follows the lease and there are no issues at move-out, the deposit is returned at the end of the stay.

The 33m2 deposit works in a similar way. It’s an amount a tenant places on hold while staying in a landlord’s home for a set period. Once the stay ends and the landlord confirms there are no problems, the deposit is returned to the tenant.

The key difference is this: all leases on 33m2 use a fixed deposit of 330,000 KRW. We set it at this level—based on “33” in our name—to lower the barrier compared to typical housing leases and to make short-term renting more practical.

2. 33m2 Deposit FAQ

To help you understand deposits in more detail, here are the questions we most commonly receive from first-time tenants and landlords.

Q. Why does 33m2 hold the deposit?

To support safer agreements, 33m2 uses an escrow-based payment method, meaning the deposit is held by 33m2 as a neutral third party.

Escrow is a system designed to protect both sides when trust is not guaranteed upfront. For tenants, it helps ensure the deposit is stored securely. For landlords, it provides a structured way to address potential issues by deducting applicable costs if necessary.

Q. Can extra charges be deducted from the deposit?

In principle, the deposit is a protected amount that should be returned to the tenant to maintain a fair and stable lease process.

Any additional costs outside the lease should generally be billed separately. However, if there’s an unavoidable situation, deductions may be possible with mutual agreement between the tenant and the landlord.

Q. Are there cases where the deposit is not fully returned?

A deposit is a shared promise: that the tenant will treat the landlord’s space with care and complete the stay properly.

If the tenant moves out normally and there are no issues, 33m2 will return the deposit. However, if there is damage to facilities or items due to carelessness, part of the deposit may be deducted, or additional charges may occur.