Checklist for Lease Disputes and Unreturned Deposits

If you have not gotten your deposit back, or if problems arise with repair-cost deductions, overdue rent, contract termination, or suspected jeonse fraud (전세사기), first organize your evidence and use the official consultation channels. The Easy Law (생활법령정보) information explains procedures for recovering a deposit, such as certified mail (내용증명), civil mediation (민사조정), a payment order (지급명령), a deposit-return lawsuit (보증금반환청구소송), a lease registration order (임차권등기명령), and compulsory enforcement (강제집행).

The app does not judge whether fraud has been established, the likelihood of winning, the timing of the return, or the likelihood that compulsory enforcement will succeed. If there is an urgent threat to your safety or you are a crime victim, call 112 first; for legal procedures, check 132 or the Housing and Commercial Building Lease Dispute Mediation Committee (주택·상가건물 임대차분쟁조정위원회) first.

• The lease contract and any special terms
• The fixed date (확정일자), the rental report (전월세신고), and documents related to residence/move-in reports
• Transfer records for the deposit, monthly rent, and maintenance fees
• Photos from before and after move-in and records of repair requests
• Notes of text messages, emails, and call logs with the landlord and the agent
• Certified mail (내용증명), postal delivery records, and returned-mail records
• The certified copy of the registry (등기사항증명서) and notices related to auctions, seizures, and lawsuits

1. Check whether the contract has ended and how the return deadline and conditions are written in the contract.
2. Organize your demand for the deposit's return in a way that leaves a record, such as text message, email, or certified mail (내용증명).
3. If the dispute continues, consult the Housing and Commercial Building Lease Dispute Mediation Committee (주택·상가건물 임대차분쟁조정위원회) or the Korea Legal Aid Corporation (대한법률구조공단) at 132.
4. If you have to move but have not received your deposit, check the possibility of applying for a lease registration order (임차권등기명령).