Bali rental deposits: what's normal and how to get yours back in full (2026)

The deposit is the most contested moment of any Bali rental. The good news: 90% of disputes are settled by one video, shot at check-in. Here's the full playbook.

What's a normal deposit

• Guesthouses and apartments: token or none
• Villas by the night: roughly $100–200 or 1–3 million rupiah
• Monthly villa rentals: usually up to half or one month's rent
• A deposit far above one month's rent is a reason to negotiate — or to compare terms on similar villas in the catalogue

What landlords may fairly deduct

• Broken or damaged items beyond normal wear
• Unpaid metered electricity — in Bali long stays usually pay power separately
• Lost keys, remotes, gate cards
• Deep cleaning after breaking house rules (smoking indoors is the classic)

The four-step routine that guarantees the refund

• Step 1. At check-in, video every room with the date visible: scratches, stains, furniture, appliances. Photograph the electricity meter
• Step 2. Send everything to the manager immediately: "documenting — this was here before us". The full room-by-room list is in the check-in checklist
• Step 3. Refund terms belong in the contract: amount, currency, deadline — contract guide
• Step 4. At check-out, walk the villa together and film again. Deductions only against an itemised list

If they still won't pay

Stay calm, cite the contract and the video, ask for a written breakdown. With management companies this works almost every time — reputation is worth more than your deposit. It's one more argument for booking through verified listings rather than a stranger in a Facebook group; the full scam map is in rental scams in Bali.