Security Deposits in Saskatchewan

In Saskatchewan, a security deposit (sometimes called a damage deposit) cannot be more than the equivalent of one calendar month's rent. This is a hard cap under The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 -- a landlord cannot ask for more, regardless of what's written into a lease.

Saskatchewan also has a rule most other provinces don't: a landlord can only collect up to 50% of the deposit at the start of the tenancy. The remaining balance is due within two months of the tenancy starting. This spreads the up-front cost of moving in over two payments instead of one lump sum.

Interest is only payable to a tenant on tenancies lasting longer than five years, and it only accrues up to 30 days after the tenancy ends. For the vast majority of tenancies -- anything under five years -- no interest is owed on the deposit.

Saskatchewan doesn't use a simple "return within X days" rule. Instead, once a tenancy ends, a landlord has seven business days to file a claim against the deposit with the Office of Residential Tenancies (ORT) -- for example, to cover damage beyond normal wear and tear. If the landlord does not file a claim in that window, the deposit is expected to be returned to the tenant.

If a landlord does file a claim, the tenant then has 60 days from the end of the tenancy to dispute it through the ORT. This gives both sides a defined process instead of leaving deposit disputes to be worked out informally.

A security deposit is meant to cover damage to the unit beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid rent, or other costs a tenant is responsible for under the tenancy agreement. It is not meant to cover ordinary aging of paint, carpet, or fixtures.