A deposit looks like a small line item until the day Dad says no and the check has already cleared. Before anyone pays one, read what the money buys, when it stops being yours to take back, and whose name is on the receipt.

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Name what the deposit buys

Most deposits on a home project or a placement do one of three jobs. It holds a spot on a schedule, it pays for materials the company orders for the job, or it is a partial payment toward a total that has not started yet. Ask which one it is and get the answer on the page. If the contract uses the word deposit without saying what it covers, the reading that favors whoever is holding the money is the one you will get in an argument later.

Check the refund line

Look for three things: whether the deposit is refundable, the conditions under which it is kept, and how much notice Dad or you must give to cancel. Some paperwork says refundable less a fee. Some says non-refundable after a set date. Some says it converts into the first invoice once work begins. Copy each condition into your own words on the copy you keep, because the version you read at the kitchen table is the one that matters if you have to go back to it.

Pay attention to what happens if Dad refuses. A contract that only covers the company walking away leaves you guessing about the other direction. Ask directly: if the client withdraws before work starts, what comes back, and by when?

Find the cancel window and the notice method

Some states give a short window to cancel certain contracts signed at home, and some do not. Do not assume yours does or does not. Ask the company in writing what applies, and check your state attorney general's consumer office for the rule as it stands. The notice itself often has to be sent a particular way, such as certified mail or a named email address. A phone call nobody writes down is not a cancellation.

Who holds the money and how it was paid

Ask where the deposit goes. A company operating account, an escrow arrangement, and a trust account each carry different protections, and a sole proprietor's personal account usually carries the least paper. Ask for a receipt that shows the legal business name, the license number if one applies, the project address, and the exact amount. Pay by card or check rather than cash, so the record does not depend on anyone's memory.

Check the name on the payment. If the account is Dad's, the contract should be signed by someone with authority over that account. If you are signing as a family member, confirm in writing that you are authorized to act for him. The paperwork should not name one person while the money comes from another.

The move tonight

Before any money leaves the account, write a one-page sheet with four lines: the amount, what it buys, the refund condition, and the cancel deadline with the method for sending notice. Ask the company to sign or initial it, and file a copy with the contract. If the company will not put the refund line in writing, do not pay the deposit yet. Then call the company and ask for the refund terms in writing, by email, today.