Rent Deposit Scheme

You can claim compensation of 1 to 3 times the amount of your tenancy deposit if your landlord:

• Doesn’t protect your tenancy deposit in a tenancy deposit protection scheme
• Doesn’t give you certain information about the scheme being used
• Takes too long to protect your deposit or give you prescribed information

Your landlord must put your deposit in a government-backed tenancy deposit scheme (TDP) if you rent your home on an assured shorthold tenancy that started after 6 April 2007. In England and Wales your deposit can be registered with:

• Deposit Protection Scheme
• MyDeposits
• Tenancy Deposit Scheme

The schemes are designed to make sure you get your deposit back if you:

• Meet the terms of your tenancy agreement
• Don’t damage the property
• Pay your rent and bills

Your landlord or letting agent must put your deposit in the scheme within 30 days of getting it. In addition they have 30 days to advise you of:

• The address of the rented property
• How much deposit you’ve paid
• How the deposit is protected
• The name and contact details of the tenancy deposit protection (TDP) scheme and its dispute resolution service
• Their (or the letting agency’s) name and contact details
• The name and contact details of any third party that has paid the deposit
• Why they would keep some or all of the deposit
• How to apply to get the deposit back
• What to do if you can’t get hold of the landlord at the end of the tenancy
• What to do if there’s a dispute over the deposit

At the end of your tenancy:

• Your landlord must return your deposit within 10 days of you both agreeing how much you’ll get back.
• If you’re in a dispute with your landlord, then your deposit will be protected in the Tenancy Deposit Scheme until the issue is sorted out.
• It is important that you contact us as soon as you believe you are not going to be returned your full deposit, or if you think that your deposit was not protected.

We act for all clients on a No Win No Fee basis.