Hold the deposit, not the risk.
RentHolder holds the deposit as a neutral third party, verifies both sides, and releases it only when it should be. Two sides of the same handoff, both protected.
Ask for a deposit, and actually get it.
Careful tenants hesitate to send money to someone they just met. With RentHolder holding the deposit in a neutral account, they pay with confidence.
- We verify the identity of both renters and landlords before any payments are processed.
- The deposit is secured in escrow before move-in.
- We charge a 5% of the deposit service fee on the deposit processed once your deal is successfully finalized.
Never send a deposit to a stranger.
Protect your hard-earned cash from scams. RentHolder securely holds the deposit, verifies both parties, and releases funds when the following conditions are met:
- You explicitly authorize the deposit to be transferred.
- No dispute is opened before the deadline.
- The landlord wins a dispute.
1 out of 3
renters encounter a rental scam
$2000+
is the average amount lost by a rental scam victim
#1
scam line: “send a deposit to hold it”
Sources: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, Better Business Bureau. RentHolder removes the leap of faith from the deposit handoff.
How it works
Three steps. No leap of faith.
The deposit handoff, redesigned so neither side has to trust a stranger.
- Step 1
A landlord requests a deposit
They verify their identity, then send the tenant a secure RentHolder link.
- Step 2
Tenant pays into neutral escrow
After an identity check, the tenant's deposit lands in a segregated account, never the landlord's pocket. The tenant watches where it sits the whole time.
- Step 3
Money is released, or refunded
When the deal goes ahead, the tenant approves the release. If the rental is not as advertised, the tenant can request a refund or open a dispute. Disputes are resolved neutrally by RentHolder and funds are released or refunded according to the outcome.
Pricing
One simple fee. Nothing hidden.
Transparent pricing is itself a trust signal. So here it is, in full.
Per completed deal
5% of the deposit
- Charged only when the deposit is successfully released
- Paid by the landlord
- No fee at all if the money is fully refunded to the tenant
FAQ
The questions careful people ask
Straight answers for both sides of the handoff: where the money goes, and how it comes back.
Where is my deposit held?+
Your funds are held securely in a dedicated, separate business savings account with Alberta Treasury Branch (ATB), managed by our parent company, SNS Software Incorporated. This account is strictly segregated from our daily operating funds. Your deposit sits safely in safekeeping, and funds are only released according to RentHolder’s established protection rules: Standard Move-In: Funds are safely transferred to the landlord once the tenant arrives on the scheduled move-in date. No-Show Protection: If a renter does not show up to move in on the agreed-upon date, the deposit is released to the landlord to compensate them for holding the property vacant. Extended Timelines (NDALT): If both parties agree to a custom NDALT (Non-Dispute Automatic Landlord Transfer) date, this new date will apply, and the funds will be automatically released to the landlord on that specific day unless a dispute is active.
What if the NDALT date is not suitable for me?+
If the NDALT ((Non-Dispute Automatic Landlord Transfer) is not suitable for you, you can decline the rentholder offer and contact the landlord to change it.
What happens if the deal falls through?+
You can request a refund, and if there is a disagreement you can open a dispute that RentHolder resolves neutrally. There is no fee on a refunded deposit. You only pay when the deal completes.
Can the landlord just take my deposit?+
The landlord confirms the deal is done, then you release the funds. Until you do, the money stays in escrow, and a dispute freezes it until we resolve it.
What if the landlord cancels at the last minute?+
Your money is safe. Your plans are not. The deposit is still sitting in escrow, so you can request a refund, and if the landlord declines you can open a dispute that RentHolder resolves neutrally. There is no fee on a refunded deposit. What escrow cannot do is stop the cancellation or cover what it costs you: time off work, movers already booked, somewhere else to sleep that week. Your real protection there is the landlord's record, read their reviews before you pay, then leave an honest review afterwards so the next renter knows more than you did. Note that we verify landlords' identity but cannot gaurantee their reliability. RentHolder is new, and many landlords have few reviews or none yet. A thin record is not proof of bad faith, but it is a reason to ask more questions before you commit.
Who pays the fee?+
The landlord.
What is the NDALT date, and what should I set it to?+
NDALT stands for Non-Dispute Automatic Landlord Transfer. You set it when you create the request, and it is your backstop on the deal: once it passes, as long as no dispute is open, you can release the deposit to yourself from your dashboard without waiting for the renter to approve. It is prefilled with the move-in date you entered and you can change it before the request goes out. You and the renter both see the same date and time, in your timezone, from the moment the request is created.
Do I still need to check ID when the renter arrives?+
Yes, and this is the one to take seriously. RentHolder verifies the person who created the account and paid the deposit, against a government ID and a selfie. What we cannot do is see who walks up to your door. Before you hand over any keys, ask for government ID in person and check that it matches the renter named on the deposit, exactly. If someone else turns up, or the name does not match, or you are told the account belongs to a partner, a relative, or an employer, stop and contact us before you release anything. A verified deposit tells you the money is real and who sent it. It does not tell you that the person standing in front of you is the same human.
When do I actually get the money?+
Two routes. The normal one: you confirm the deal is done, the renter approves, and the deposit is released to you. The backstop: the NDALT date passes with no dispute open, and you release it yourself from your dashboard, with a written reason kept on record. Nothing moves on its own, and either way the fee is only charged when the money reaches you.
What if the renter never moves in?+
The deposit stays in escrow either way, so you are not chasing anyone for it. If the renter walks away without disputing, the NDALT date is your route to the money: once it passes, you release the deposit to yourself. If they do open a dispute, the funds stay put until RentHolder reviews both sides and decides neutrally.
What does RentHolder cost me?+
One fee, charged only when the deposit is actually released to you. If the money goes back to the renter in full, there is no fee at all. The rate is the one shown above, and it is locked in when you create the request, so a later price change never applies to a deal you have already made.