Yes, a shortlet caution fee is refundable. It is a deposit the host holds in case something is damaged during your stay. It is not a charge for the stay itself. You should get it back after check-out, less the real cost of any damage the host can show.
This guide is about the caution fee on a shortlet (or short let): a furnished home you book for a few nights or weeks. Renting a home for a year works differently. For that, read caution fee in Nigeria explained.
Caution fee on a shortlet: the short answer
Hosts use a few names for the same money. You may see caution fee, caution deposit, security deposit or damage deposit. Whatever the name, three things are true:
- It is still your money. The host only holds it while you stay.
- It covers damage and loss. It is there in case something is broken or goes missing.
- It comes back after you leave. The host checks the flat, then returns it, less any fair cost.
It helps to see where the caution fee sits in a shortlet bill. Only one part of the bill is meant to come back:
| Part of the bill | What it pays for | Do you get it back? |
|---|---|---|
| Nights | Each night you stay | No, once you have stayed them |
| Cleaning fee | The clean after your stay, charged once | No, once you have stayed |
| Caution fee | Nothing. It is held against damage | Yes, less any fair cost of damage |
If you cancel in time, all three parts should come back. The cancellation rules decide what “in time” means, so read them before you pay.
How the amount is set (a fixed naira amount)
The host decides the caution fee. Most hosts ask for a fixed sum in naira, not a share of the night price. There is no standard amount, and some hosts ask for none at all.
A host may ask for more when:
- the flat is large, or has costly furniture, art or electronics;
- a group is staying, or the booking is for a party or an event;
- the stay falls in a busy season, such as December.
Before you pay, check three things about the caution fee:
- The exact amount, in naira.
- That the listing or message uses the word “refundable”.
- When you pay it: with the booking, or at the door.
Comparing listings helps you spot a deposit that looks out of line. Look at a few homes of the same size in shortlets in Lekki or shortlets in Abuja and note what each asks.
On Cabans, the caution deposit is always a fixed naira amount set by the host, never a percentage. It shows under the calendar as “Caution deposit: ₦…, refundable”, and in the “Price Breakdown” as “Caution deposit (refundable)”. You pay it once per stay, with your booking, and discounts never apply to it.
When you get it back
You get the caution fee back after check-out, once the host has checked the flat. A good host does this soon after you leave. The timing should be agreed before you pay, not argued about after.
If the host has not said, ask them two questions in writing:
- “When will you return my caution fee?”
- “Which account will you send it to?”
Keep the answer. If you cancel your booking in time, the caution fee should come back with the rest of your refund. If the host cancels on you, it should come back in full, whatever the timing.
On Cabans, the deposit follows clear steps, and your stay page shows where it is:
- You cancel in time. Your caution deposit comes back with the rest of your refund.
- The host declines or cancels. Your caution deposit is refunded too.
- After check-out. The “Caution deposit” card says “Deposit being checked” while the host checks the property. It says “Deposit returned” once they release it.
- 14 days after you leave. If the host has neither released it nor raised a dispute, press “Request caution release”. Our team then releases it, unless the host raises a dispute first.
Refunds reach you within 14 days at most, and usually in about 5 days. Step by step, see how to get your caution deposit back.
Paying the caution fee safely
A caution fee is only refundable if you can prove you paid it. Scammers also like caution fees, because guests expect to pay them early. Follow these rules whenever you pay one:
- Agree everything first. Never pay a caution fee to “hold” a flat before the dates, the full price and the rules are agreed.
- Get a receipt. It should say “refundable caution deposit”, name the property and show the amount.
- Pay the right person. The name on the account should match the host or their company.
- Keep it separate. Ask for the caution fee to be shown on its own line, not mixed into one lump sum.
If a host will not put the caution fee in writing, treat that as a warning sign. Our guide to shortlet scams in Nigeria lists the others.
What a host can claim for
A caution fee covers real harm to the home. A fair host can claim for:
- Damage beyond normal use. A cracked TV screen, a burnt worktop or a stained mattress.
- Missing items. Towels, remotes, kitchen things or anything listed in the flat.
- Lost keys or access cards. Including a new lock if the key cannot be found.
- Heavy extra cleaning. For example, after a party left the flat far dirtier than a normal stay.
A host should not claim for:
- Normal wear. A sofa that is getting old, or paint that has faded.
- Old faults. Anything that was broken or not working before you arrived.
- The ordinary clean. Every home needs cleaning after a guest. A cleaning fee, if charged, already pays for that.
The amount should match the real cost. For anything more than a small item, ask for a photo and a receipt or a quote for the repair.
If your host disputes it
Sometimes a host wants to keep part of the deposit and you do not agree. Stay calm, and deal with it in writing. Start with these steps:
- Ask for the claim in writing: what was damaged, how much it costs, and the evidence.
- Send your own photos from arrival and departure.
- If you did cause some damage, offer to pay a fair share of it.
- Keep every message, receipt and photo in one place.
When you pay a host directly, there is nobody in the middle to decide who is right. That is one reason to book where someone other than the host settles disputes.
On Cabans, only the host can raise a dispute, after check-out. You get an email headed “Your host has raised a question about your caution deposit”. On your stay page, the “Deposit dispute” card shows the host’s claim and the amount they want to keep. Write your side under “Your reply” and add photos, videos or PDFs as evidence. Nothing is kept until our team decides, from nothing up to the whole deposit, and the rest is refunded to you. See how to reply to a deposit dispute. For every other line of a shortlet bill, read every shortlet fee explained.
How to protect your deposit
Most deposit arguments are won or lost on the first and last day. Do these things and you will rarely lose a naira:
- Read the house rules before you book. Check the rules on visitors, parties, smoking and noise.
- Film the flat when you arrive. Walk through every room slowly. Show any marks, cracks or stains.
- Report problems on day one. Tell the host in writing about anything broken, even small things.
- Follow the rules during your stay. A party in a no-party flat is the fastest way to lose a deposit.
- Leave it as you found it. Wash up, empty the bins and put furniture back.
- Film the flat when you leave. Then hand back every key and ask the host to confirm.
On Cabans, use “Report an issue” under “Stay services” as soon as you find something broken. Your request is listed on your stay page, so there is a record of when you told the host. On your last day, follow our shortlet check-out checklist. If you break something, read broke something in a shortlet?
Ready to find a place? Find a shortlet you can book and check the caution fee in each full price before you choose.
Hosting a shortlet yourself? Clear deposit terms protect you as well as your guests. List your short let with your caution deposit shown up front, and see how caution deposits work for hosts.
Frequently asked questions
Is a shortlet caution fee refundable?
Yes. A caution fee is a deposit, not a charge for your stay. You should get it back after check-out, less the real cost of any damage the host can show. If a host calls it “non-refundable”, it is really a fee, so ask what it pays for before you book.
How much is the caution fee for a shortlet?
There is no standard amount. Each host sets their own, and some ask for none. Bigger flats and homes with costly furniture often ask for more. Check the amount in the full price before you pay, and compare a few listings in the same area.
When will I get my shortlet caution fee back?
After you check out and the host has checked the flat. Agree the timing in writing before you pay, and ask which account it will go to. If you cancel your booking in time, the caution fee should come back with the rest of your refund.
Can a host keep my whole caution deposit?
Only if the damage or loss really costs that much. The host should tell you what was damaged, show you photos, and show a receipt or quote for the repair. Normal wear, like a worn cushion, is not a reason to keep your money.
What can a host take from a shortlet caution fee?
Damage beyond normal use, missing items, lost keys, and extra cleaning after a mess far beyond an ordinary stay. A host should not charge for old faults, normal wear, or the ordinary clean after every guest.
Is the caution fee the same as the cleaning fee?
No. A cleaning fee pays for the clean after your stay, is charged once, and does not come back. A caution fee pays for nothing. It is held in case of damage and comes back after you leave.
How does the caution deposit work on Cabans?
The host sets a fixed amount in naira, and you pay it once with your booking. After check-out the host gives it back or raises a dispute, and the Cabans team decides any dispute. If the host has done neither, you can ask our team to release it from 14 days after you leave. Refunds reach you within 14 days at most, usually in about 5 days.
Related guides
Caution fee when renting a home · Caution fee: hotel vs shortlet · What is a shortlet? · Shortlet scams: warning signs · Detty December shortlet prices · Shortlet in Lagos: the renter's guide
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