Deposit advice for private tenants
Find out how to protect your tenancy deposit and how to get your deposit back at the end of your tenancy.
Protecting your tenancy deposits
If you are an Assured Shorthold Tenant, your landlord or letting agent cannot hold your deposit. This must be held in one of three government approved Deposit Protection Schemes.
If you have paid a deposit and it hasn’t been protected in this way you can make a tenancy deposit compensation claim.
It may also be harder for your landlord or letting agent to end your tenancy.
If you are a lodger, any deposit you pay does not have to be protected.
Returning your tenancy deposit
Your landlord or letting agent should return your deposit when you tenancy ends, unless they have reasons to make deductions.