Deposit protection

A tenancy deposit is held by the landlord in case there’s damage or unpaid rent.

Your deposit must be protected in one of three government-approved tenancy deposit schemes.

These are: 

• the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS)
• the Deposit Protection Service (DPS)
• MyDeposits

Landlords must use one of these schemes to protect a tenant's deposit for an assured shorthold tenancy (AST).

They’ll let you know which scheme it’s in and how you can get it back when the tenancy ends.

Your deposit is your money, and if you’ve paid rent on time and looked after the property, you’re entitled to get it back when you move out.

Your landlord can ask for a maximum of five weeks’ rent (or six weeks if your rent is over £50,000 a year).

You’ll be given a certificate stating which of the three existing schemes is holding your money.

Yes.

Landlords or letting agents must put your money into a protection scheme within 30 days of receiving it.

This applies even if the deposit is paid by someone else, such as parents or a rent deposit scheme.

Landlords must return your deposit within 10 days of agreeing on the amount.

If there’s a dispute, the deposit remains protected in the scheme until resolved.

All TDP schemes provide free dispute resolution:

• DPS: call 0330 303 0030
• TDS: call 0300 037 1000
• MyDeposits: call 0333 321 9401

If your deposit hasn’t been protected in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme, don’t worry.

You still have the right to claim it back.

Landlords are legally required to protect deposits, so if they haven’t done so, you might also be entitled to claim compensation.

This can be up to three times the deposit amount, depending on the circumstances.

It’s a good idea to keep all evidence of your tenancy and communications with your landlord, just in case a dispute arises.

And if you’re unsure what to do next, it’s worth seeking advice from a housing charity like Shelter.