Holding deposit receipt
How much was paid, what it holds, until when and when it is refunded.
About 6 minSigned by: the person receiving the money and the applicant
What it is for
This is the receipt for the money an applicant pays to have a property held while the lease is being signed. It states how much was paid, which rental terms are being held, until what date, and what happens to the money if either side backs out.
It is the document that prevents the most disputes: most holding deposits that are never returned had no receipt saying when they should be.
What it covers
- Who receives the money and in what capacity (owner, licensed agent, representative)
- Amount, currency, payment method and date
- Rental terms already discussed and the deadline to sign
- Whether the property comes off the market meanwhile
- What happens if the applicant backs out, and if the owner does
- Refund if the applicant's documents are not approved
- What the holding deposit is applied to on signing
Common mistakes
- Transferring a holding deposit without having seen the property or knowing who owns it.
- Accepting a receipt that does not say when the money is refunded.
- Setting no deadline: a hold cannot last forever.
- Handing money to an agent without confirming the owner authorized it.
- Not noting the rental terms: if the lease arrives different, there is nothing to rely on.
A template, not legal advice
Frequently asked questions
Do I get the holding deposit back if I change my mind?
It depends on what the receipt says. The Quintana Roo Civil Code treats these sums as arras (earnest money): as a general rule, the giver loses them if the giver is the one in breach. You may agree otherwise, and this template makes you choose.
What if the owner backs out?
The Code's rule is that whoever received the arras returns them plus the same amount again. A simple refund can also be agreed. The receipt says which applies and within how many days.
Can an agent receive the holding deposit?
Yes, if the owner authorized it. Quintana Roo law requires the agent to give a receipt and not to use the money for anything else. Ask for their matrícula number.
Is the holding deposit the same as the security deposit?
No. The holding deposit reserves the property before signing; the security deposit secures the signed lease. On signing, the holding deposit is applied to the first rent or to the deposit, as agreed.
How much is usually paid?
There is no legal amount. It usually does not exceed one month's rent.
What kind of signature this is
- It is a simple electronic signature with an audit trail: each party opens their personal link, reads the document, types their full name and expressly accepts. We record the date, time, IP address, browser and the SHA-256 fingerprint of the text, which is frozen from the moment it is sent.
- In general terms, Mexican commercial and civil law recognizes electronic signatures between parties who consent to use them, and a judge weighs their strength according to the reliability of the method.
- It is not an advanced electronic signature (such as the SAT's e.firma) and does not include a NOM-151 conservation certificate issued by a certification service provider.
- If you need that level of proof, the next step is integration with a certified provider; in the meantime you can print the document and sign it on paper as well.
Laws it relies on
- Código Civil para el Estado de Quintana Roo: arts. 296 a 298 (arras)
- Ley de Prestación de Servicios Inmobiliarios del Estado de Quintana Roo: arts. 12 fr. IX y 30
We cite the articles so anyone can check them. Laws change: confirm they are still in force if your case is delicate.