Overview
Security deposits show up in five different places in DoorLoop: the lease's Deposits tab, the Deposit Transactions Report, the Chart of Accounts liability register, the owner statement, and the tenant lease account statement. Each one is the right answer to a different question, and the numbers can legitimately differ depending on what the report is designed to show.
Use this article to figure out which view answers the question you have, and to understand why two views might disagree.
Note: A security deposit is only visible across these views once it's been fully recorded — meaning the charge has been posted and a payment or credit has been applied to it. If a deposit is missing from all five views, see Why Doesn't My Security Deposit Show on the Lease, Statement, or Deposits Tab?.
1. The Lease's Deposits Tab
Best for: confirming the deposit on a specific lease at a glance.
The Deposits tab on a lease shows the security deposit balance currently held for that lease — what's been received, what's been withheld or refunded, and what's still on hand.
To find it: go to Leasing → Active Leases → [select lease] → Deposits tab.
What this view answers: "How much deposit do I currently hold for this tenant?"
2. The Deposit Transactions Report
Best for: auditing all deposit activity across leases over a date range.
The Deposit Transactions Report shows every deposit-related transaction — receipts, withholdings, refunds, transfers — across all leases for a chosen period. Filter by property, lease, or date range to narrow the view.
What this view answers: "What deposit activity happened in [time period] across my portfolio?"
3. The Chart of Accounts (Security Deposit Liability Register)
Best for: verifying total deposits held company-wide and tracing accounting issues.
The Security Deposit liability register is the source of truth for what your books say you owe back to tenants. Every recorded deposit credits this account; every withholding or refund debits it. The current balance equals the total liability across all your leases.
To find it: go to Accounting → Chart of Accounts → Security Deposit (Liability) and click the account name to open the register.
What this view answers: "How much in security deposits do I currently owe back to tenants in total?" or "When was a specific deposit posted to the liability account?"
Note: This view does not include owner-held deposits — those are tracked separately and don't post to your liability account by design.
4. The Owner Statement
Best for: showing an owner what was collected and held on their property.
The Owner Statement Report reflects deposits collected on the owner's properties. Depending on the report's settings and date range, deposits may appear as a line item under collections or as a balance carried forward.
What this view answers: "What does the owner see about the deposits collected on their property?"
Note: Owner statements are usually run for a specific month. If a deposit was collected in a prior period, it may not appear on the current month's statement even though it's still being held — this is expected behavior. Run the statement with a longer date range to see the original deposit transaction.
5. The Tenant Lease Account Statement
Best for: showing the tenant what they paid.
The Lease Account Statement (also available to tenants in the tenant portal) shows charges and payments on the lease ledger, including the security deposit charge and the corresponding payment or credit applied to it.
What this view answers: "What does the tenant see on their statement about the deposit?"
Why the Numbers Can Differ Between Views
If two views show different deposit totals, one of these is usually the reason:
Date range mismatch. The owner statement and tenant statement only show what falls inside the chosen period. The Deposits tab and Chart of Accounts register show current balances regardless of date. A deposit collected last year won't appear on this month's owner statement even though it's still on the books.
Owner-held vs. company-held. The Chart of Accounts liability register only includes deposits you are holding. Owner-held deposits show on the lease and on tenant statements but not in your liability account — by design.
Pending withholdings or refunds. A withholding or refund recorded in one view but not yet reflected in another (e.g., a refund issued today but not yet on a previously generated statement).
Charge posted but no payment recorded. If a charge was posted but the payment was never recorded against it, the lease will show an open balance — but the deposit won't appear on the Deposits tab, the liability register, or deposit reports. See Why Doesn't My Security Deposit Show on the Lease, Statement, or Deposits Tab?.
Wrong account category on the charge. If the security deposit charge was posted to a category other than Liability > Security Deposit, the funds bypass the liability register entirely. See Security Deposits on the Balance Sheet: Where They Appear and How to Fix Doubled or Inverted Balances for how to fix this.
Quick Reference: Which View Should I Use?
Question | Use |
How much deposit do I hold for this lease? | Lease → Deposits tab |
What deposit activity happened across my portfolio in [time period]? | Deposit Transactions Report |
How much in deposits do I owe tenants in total right now? | Chart of Accounts → Security Deposit liability |
What does the owner see on their property's statement? | Owner Statement Report |
What does the tenant see on their statement? | Lease Account Statement |
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Disclaimer
The information provided is not offered by a licensed accountant and is intended for general informational purposes only. It is crucial to verify local accounting laws and regulations independently, as they vary. This information should not be considered a substitute for professional advice. For accurate guidance, consult a licensed accountant familiar with your jurisdiction's specific requirements. The author and publisher are not liable for any damages or losses resulting from reliance on this information.