Check if your landlord has to protect your deposit

Summary

If you have an assured tenancy, your landlord has to protect your deposit within 30 days of the date you paid it. You usually pay your deposit when you start your tenancy. If your tenancy started as an assured shorthold tenancy before 6 April 2012, you can get advice to find out the deadline for protecting your deposit. Talk to an adviser. Your deposit should be protected by one of 3 tenancy deposit scheme providers: If your landlord or letting agent hasn't told you if they've protected your deposit, check the scheme providers' websites. You'll need to enter a few details, for example your postcode, surname and the date you started your tenancy. Your tenancy agreement, if you have one, will show this information. You might need to enter the details of any joint tenants if you can't find the details under your own name. If you've renewed your tenancy it's worth checking the different start dates too. If you still can't find out whether your deposit has been protected, speak to someone at each tenancy deposit scheme provider. You can find their contact numbers on their websites. Don't worry if your landlord or letting agent hasn't protected your deposit when they should have - you.

Key information

• Deposit Protection Service
• your deposit wasn't protected and it should have been
• your deposit was protected late
• your landlord protected your deposit, signed and gave you the prescribed information - this includes details about the property and your deposit
• your landlord returned your deposit
• you made a claim against your landlord and it wasn’t successful or you haven’t reached an agreement with them
• If you have an assured tenancy, your landlord has to protect your deposit within 30 days of the date you paid it. You usually pay your deposit when you start your tenancy.
• If your tenancy started as an assured shorthold tenancy before 6 April 2012, you can get advice to find out the deadline for protecting your deposit. Talk to an adviser.
• Your deposit should be protected by one of 3 tenancy deposit scheme providers:
• If your landlord or letting agent hasn't told you if they've protected your deposit, check the scheme providers' websites. You'll need to enter a few details, for example your postcode, surname and the date you started your tenancy. Your tenancy agreement, if you have one, will show this information.
• You might need to enter the details of any joint tenants if you can't find the details under your own name. If you've renewed your tenancy it's worth checking the different start dates too.
• If you still can't find out whether your deposit has been protected, speak to someone at each tenancy deposit scheme provider. You can find their contact numbers on their websites.

Practical guidance

• Source: Check if your landlord has to protect your deposit

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