Quick Answer
- What it is:
- Tenancy Deposit Protection — a housing procedure in United Kingdom.
- Deadline:
- 30 days
- Steps:
- 4 steps
- Cost:
- Free
- Documents:
- 5 required
- Legal basis:
- Housing Act 2004 ss.212-215
Miss the deadline? Tenant entitled to 1-3x deposit penalty
Important Deadlines
Landlord must protect deposit within 30 days of receipt
Tenant entitled to 1-3x deposit penalty
Raise ADR within 3 months of tenancy end (typical scheme rule)
Lose ADR route — small claims only
Required Documents
- ✓Tenancy agreement
- ✓Inventory / check-in & check-out reports
- ✓Photos at move-in and move-out
- ✓Deposit prescribed-information certificate from scheme
- ✓Schedule of deductions claimed by landlord
Step-by-Step Guide
Confirm which scheme protects your deposit: TDS, DPS or mydeposits — landlord must inform within 30 days of receipt.
Pro tip: If the landlord did not protect within 30 days, you can claim 1-3x the deposit as a penalty (s.214 Housing Act 2004).
On move-out, agree deductions in writing. If disputed, raise an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) request via the scheme.
ADR adjudication is free, free of legal jargon, and decided within ~28 days. Decisions bind the landlord.
If ADR is unavailable (e.g., deposit not protected), bring a small claims action in the County Court.
Fees
Legal Basis
Also Known As
This procedure is commonly searched under these names:
Official Resources
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