Answer: It depends on your lease agreement. If your lease agreement requires you to pay a deposit (usually equal to one month's rent, sometimes two months) then you will need to do so in order to occupy the premises.
This applies to both verbal and written contracts. However, if a deposit was not stipulated in your agreement then your landlord may not ask you to pay a deposit at a later stage because this was not a part of your original agreement.
Changes to a lease agreement are only valid when both parties agree to the new terms and conditions.
“This response has been prepared for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, or a legal opinion, the practical application will vary depending on the facts of each case. Please obtain a full legal opinion from a legal professional or tax practitioner if you wish to act on any aspect hereof as the response is not fully comprehensive.“