Korea housing deposit checklist for foreigners

Who This Is For

• You are about to sign a lease.
• You are comparing one-room, officetel, apartment, goshiwon, or share house options.
• You need a plain checklist before sending money.

Requirements Table

Contract clarity

Address, parties, amount, monthly rent, maintenance fee, dates, and penalties.

Payment trail

Bank transfer records, receipts, and written confirmation.

Risk point

Deposit loss risk increases when payment, owner, and address records do not align.

Step-by-Step Process

1. 1

   Confirm the exact address

   Use the full legal address and unit details in every document and message.

2. 2

   Check who receives money

   Ask why the payment account belongs to that person or company and keep written confirmation.

3. 3

   Review fees and exit terms

   Separate deposit, monthly rent, maintenance, utilities, cleaning, broker fee, and early exit terms.

4. 4

   Plan protection steps

   Before signing, understand move-in reporting, fixed-date stamping, and deposit protection options that apply to your contract.

Common Mistakes

• Sending a deposit before seeing the full contract.
• Ignoring maintenance fees.
• Not saving payment proof and chat records.

FAQ

What should I check before paying a deposit?

Check the exact address, contract parties, payment account, maintenance fees, move-in date, cancellation terms, and whether you can complete move-in reporting and deposit protection steps.

Should I pay cash?

Avoid cash when possible. Use traceable payment records and keep receipts, transfer confirmations, contract copies, and agent messages.

What is a red flag?

Pressure to pay quickly, mismatched names, unclear address, refusal to provide documents, unusually low rent, or a payment account that does not match the contract story.