to offset delinquent payments or damage to the property. If neither happens, the money is refunded (typically with statutory interest) when the tenant vacates. It is illegal but common for unscrupulous landlords to refuse to refund some or all of this deposit, instead keeping it for unneeded "cleaning" or "repairs." Landlord-tenant laws in the United States typically specify that a landlord must provide a detailed accounting of all deductions from a security deposit on request and normally cannot charge for "normal wear and tear," such as replacing old carpets or painting walls that have not been painted for many years. Generally in the United States, apartment leases are not transferable without the consent of the landlord. The primary exception is the right to rent a space in a mobile home park, which is frequently transferable, frequently rent-controlled, and frequently subject to French-style "key money" payments to the original tenant in the form of buying the current mobile home at an inflated price. The new tenant can then junk the existing, outdated trailer and replace it with a modern one while keeping the terms of the original lease for the land under it. When renting commercial properties in which the premises already contains various trade-fixtures, equipment, electric, and plumbing (items typically left when a former tenant vacates), such items have a value above the typical rent for an empty "vanilla shell" premises. The landlord would charge the tenant key money in order for the tenant to have the right to use and take over all of the existing equipment. Mexico In Mexico, key money is referred to as "guante" (translating to "glove" in English). Covert key money Since key money is in many cases illegal for the reason that it is a payment without consideration or even a bribe, it is often disguised as other costs: Made-up additional charges for 'cleaning', 'contract drafting', 'administration', 'registration', etc. An obligation for the tenant to take over furniture or other items from the landlord or vacating tenant, for an amount which does not reflect the true economic value of these items. Demanding large security deposits which are only repayable at face value (thus without interest). Unscrupulous landlords could even as a matter of principle not return any security deposits at all. See also Damage deposit Jeonse Rental agreement Security deposit References Payments Renting Landlord–tenant law