Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Pennsylvania

Re: Landlord - Tenant

Depends upon what the application actually says and whether it might be reasonably interpreted as such a contract. (However, it should be noted that any landlord using this application as an excuse to routinely confiscate security deposits of prospective tenants who never actually rent will not be viewed kindly by any court called upon to review this issue.)

Re: Landlord - Tenant

Make sure it was not an application fee as opposed to a security deposit. However, as the other responders have stated..it would be looked upon unfavorably if either the landlord was confiscating security deposits routinely or charging exorbitant application fees.