Deposit Protection Checker
Check whether a tenancy deposit may be unprotected, protected late, missing required information, over the legal cap, wrongly deducted, or on the wrong complaint route.
Use this checker for: missing deposit certificate, late protection, no prescribed information, wrong scheme details, deposit paid by a parent or third party, deposit cap concerns, deposit deductions, landlord refusing release, agent holding the money, renewal or landlord-change confusion, eviction notice concerns and move-out disputes.
Deposit protection overview
A tenancy deposit is money paid as security for rent, damage, missing items, cleaning, bills or other tenancy obligations. Deposit protection rules stop landlords and agents from simply holding that money without safeguards. The correct route depends on where the property is, what type of renting agreement you have, when the deposit was paid, whether the money was protected on time, and whether the dispute is about non-protection or deductions at the end of the tenancy.
For many private renters in England and Wales, the key checks are whether the deposit was protected within 30 days of receipt and whether the required scheme information was given within the same period. Scotland uses a 30-working-day protection rule from the tenancy start. Northern Ireland uses 28 days for protection and 35 days for prescribed written information. Deposit deduction disputes normally start with the deposit scheme, while unprotected or late-protected deposit breaches may need court, tribunal or council action depending on the country.
Quick route map
Recent deposit protection updates and key dates
What this checker looks for
- Protection deadline: whether the deposit appears to have been protected within the correct time limit for the property country.
- Information deadline: whether prescribed information, required information or written scheme information was given on time and with correct details.
- Approved scheme: whether the named scheme matches the country and can be checked by the tenant.
- Deposit cap: whether the security deposit appears higher than the country-specific limit where a cap applies.
- Wrong route risk: whether the issue is an unprotected deposit claim, a deduction dispute, a prohibited payment issue, an agent complaint, an eviction issue or a council enforcement issue.
- Evidence gaps: whether the tenant has enough documents to contact the scheme, send a letter before action, complain to a council, apply to tribunal, or start a scheme dispute.
The result is an issue-spotting guide, not a legal decision. Deposit rules are technical, especially with joint tenancies, renewals, landlord changes, third-party payments and old tenancy agreements.
Official and advice sources
- GOV.UK — Tenancy deposit protection
- GOV.UK — Information landlords must give tenants
- GOV.UK — If your landlord does not protect your deposit
- GOV.UK — Tenant Fees Act guidance for tenants
- GOV.WALES — Deposits: guidance for tenants
- mygov.scot — When your tenancy deposit must be protected
- mygov.scot — If your tenancy deposit was not protected
- nidirect — Tenancy Deposit Scheme information for tenants
- Citizens Advice — Check your landlord has protected your deposit
- Shelter England — Tenancy deposits
Deposit protection FAQs
What is a tenancy deposit?
A tenancy deposit is usually a refundable security payment held against rent arrears, damage, cleaning, missing items, bills or other breaches of the agreement. It is different from ordinary rent in advance and different from a holding deposit paid before the tenancy is agreed.
When must my deposit be protected in England?
For relevant private tenancies in England, the landlord or agent normally has 30 days from receiving the deposit to protect it in an authorised scheme and give the prescribed information. The approved schemes are DPS, TDS and mydeposits.
When must my deposit be protected in Wales?
For relevant Welsh occupation contracts, the landlord normally has 30 days to comply with the authorised scheme requirements and give the contract-holder the required deposit information.
When must my deposit be protected in Scotland?
In Scotland, a private landlord normally has 30 working days from the tenancy start date to protect the deposit in an approved scheme. The route for non-compliance is the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland, and an application can usually be made during the tenancy or up to 3 months after it ends.
When must my deposit be protected in Northern Ireland?
In Northern Ireland, a landlord or agent must protect the deposit within 28 days of receiving it and give the tenant prescribed written information within 35 days. Non-compliance can be reported to the local council.
What if the deposit was protected late?
Late protection can still matter. Returning the deposit or protecting it late does not always remove the original breach. The route depends on the country, the timing, whether required information was given, and whether the tenancy has ended.
What if prescribed information is missing?
Protection alone is not always enough. The landlord or agent must also give required information about the scheme, deposit amount, property, parties, repayment process and dispute process. Missing or wrong information can create a separate issue.
What if I only disagree with deductions?
If the deposit is properly protected and the issue is deductions at the end of the tenancy, the first route is usually the scheme’s free dispute resolution service. Evidence such as inventory, photos, check-out report, invoices and messages becomes very important.
Can the council help with an unprotected deposit?
In Northern Ireland, local councils have an enforcement role for deposit protection breaches. In England and Wales, unprotected deposit claims usually go through the county court rather than the council. In Scotland, the route is normally the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland.
Can an eviction notice be affected by deposit protection?
Deposit compliance can affect some possession and notice routes. If you have an eviction notice or court papers, use the eviction notice checker as well and get advice before leaving or ignoring deadlines.
Is this checker legal advice?
No. It is a guided tool that helps organise facts, dates, evidence and routes. Court, tribunal, eviction, old tenancy, joint tenancy and complex deposit cases should be checked with a qualified adviser.
