Is it legal for the decoration deposit to offset the property fee?

It is illegal to collect the decoration deposit of the property. If the law does not clearly stipulate that fees can be charged, but the property company still requires to pay the fees, it can be considered as arbitrary charges, and the owner has the right to refuse. However, if the owner and the property management company have an agreement on the terms of the decoration deposit in the contract, it shall be handled in accordance with the agreement.

Legal objectivity:

Article 40 of the Regulations on Property Management shall follow the principles of reasonableness, openness, and adaptation of fees and service levels, and distinguish the nature and characteristics of different properties. Owners and property service enterprises shall, in accordance with the measures for charging property services formulated by the competent price department of the State Council in conjunction with the competent construction administrative department of the State Council, stipulate in the property service contract. Forty-second price departments of the people's governments at or above the county level shall, jointly with the real estate administrative departments at the same level, strengthen the supervision of property service charges.