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.
Deposit Protection Checker: quick route map
Recent deposit protection updates and key dates
What the Deposit Protection 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 for deposit protection
- 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 Checker FAQs
Get clear answers to the most common Deposit Protection Checker questions, including tenancy deposit protection check, TDS DPS mydeposits and 30 day deposit deadline.
What is a tenancy deposit, and how does the Deposit Protection Checker use it?
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.
Pro tip: keep this with the rest of your tenancy paperwork and your notes on TDS DPS mydeposits — deposit protection disputes are decided on dates and documents, not on who sounds more reasonable.
When must my deposit be protected in England, and how does the Deposit Protection Checker handle it?
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.
Pro tip: if you searched “deposit protection checker UK” to get here, this is the part that matters: note the date, who said it and what was actually agreed.
Deposit Protection Checker: 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.
Pro tip: save a dated copy of anything about deposit cap five weeks rent before you reply, so your deposit protection timeline is complete if it is ever challenged.
When must my deposit be protected in Scotland — what does the Deposit Protection Checker check?
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.
Pro tip: pair this with a check on 30 day deposit deadline — the two questions almost always come up together in deposit protection cases.
When must my deposit be protected in Northern Ireland — what does the Deposit Protection Checker check?
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.
Pro tip: keep the paperwork covering deposit deductions dispute in the same file as your tenancy agreement so nothing has to be reconstructed later.
Deposit Protection Checker: 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.
Pro tip: people often search “deposit protection checker UK” at this point; the safest next step is to confirm 30 day deposit deadline in writing before any deadline passes.
What if prescribed information is missing, and where does that fit in the Deposit Protection Checker?
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.
Pro tip: note the exact date this happened. Under the current England rules, deposit protection outcomes often turn on timing rather than on the wording used.
What if I only disagree with deductions, and where does that fit in the Deposit Protection Checker?
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.
Pro tip: if anything here is disputed, ask for it in writing and keep the reply — written confirmation about TDS DPS mydeposits is worth far more than a phone call.
Deposit Protection Checker: 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.
Pro tip: check tenancy deposit protection check at the same time; getting both right first time avoids having to redo the whole deposit protection process.
Can an eviction notice be affected by deposit protection before I use the Deposit Protection Checker?
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.
Pro tip: confirm the position on deposit certificate against the official source linked on this page rather than relying on a letting agent’s summary.
Is this checker legal advice before I use the Deposit Protection Checker?
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.
Pro tip: searches like “landlord did not protect my deposit” usually hide a deadline. Diary the date now and keep your evidence of unprotected deposit compensation together.
What is the Deposit Protection Checker and who should use it?
The Deposit Protection Checker is a free, browser-based tool that helps you work through tenancy deposit protection and prescribed information without paying for an initial consultation. It is built for renters, landlords, letting agents and advisers who need a fast, plain-English answer on tenancy deposit protection check and related questions such as is my deposit protected. The Deposit Protection Checker works through the same points an adviser would raise about TDS DPS mydeposits and 30 day deposit deadline, then explains what your answer means and which official source or next step to use.
Pro tip: run the Deposit Protection Checker before you sign, pay or reply to anything, and save the result with your notes on custodial scheme and insured scheme.
How does the Deposit Protection Checker work, step by step?
The Deposit Protection Checker works in short, ordered steps. It first asks where the property is and what kind of tenancy is involved, because insured scheme changes the answer. It then asks about 30 day deposit deadline, unprotected deposit compensation and the key dates, which is where most is my deposit protected problems actually begin. Finally the Deposit Protection Checker returns an issue-spotting summary: what looks fine, what looks risky, what is probably not allowed, and which official source or related tool to open next.
Pro tip: have your tenancy agreement, dates and written messages to hand before you start so the Deposit Protection Checker result reflects your real paperwork rather than your memory.
Is the Deposit Protection Checker free to use, and does it store my answers?
Yes. The Deposit Protection Checker is completely free, with no account, no sign-up and no payment. Everything you type into the Deposit Protection Checker stays in your browser: it is not sent to a server, not saved to a database and not shared with a landlord, letting agent or advertiser. That means you can safely test more than one scenario for deposit protection scheme UK, unprotected deposit compensation or deposit cap five weeks rent without leaving a record anywhere.
Pro tip: because nothing is stored, copy or screenshot your Deposit Protection Checker result before you close the tab if you want it for your evidence file.
How often is the Deposit Protection Checker updated for the current England renting rules?
The Deposit Protection Checker is reviewed against the rules in force and updated whenever the underlying law or official guidance changes. The current version reflects the private renting framework that applies in England after 1 May 2026, including scheme leaflet, county court claim and 1 to 3 times deposit penalty. Changes to the Deposit Protection Checker are checked against primary sources such as legislation and GOV.UK guidance rather than secondary commentary, and the review date is shown at the top of this page.
Pro tip: if your situation started before the current rules, note the exact dates — the Deposit Protection Checker treats older and newer deposit protection situations differently.
What related searches does the Deposit Protection Checker answer, such as “prescribed information not given” or “check if my deposit is protected”?
The Deposit Protection Checker is built around the questions people actually type into search, including “prescribed information not given”, “check if my deposit is protected”, “deposit protection checker UK” and “landlord did not protect my deposit”. Behind those different wordings the underlying issue is usually the same: tenancy deposit protection and prescribed information. The Deposit Protection Checker also covers the closely related areas — TDS DPS mydeposits, 30 day deposit deadline and unprotected deposit compensation — so you do not need to run several separate searches to get one usable answer about tenancy deposit protection check.
Pro tip: if your exact wording is not covered, search this site for is my deposit protected or deposit protection scheme UK and open the linked guide next to your Deposit Protection Checker result.
Can I rely on the Deposit Protection Checker instead of getting legal advice about tenancy deposit protection and prescribed information?
No. The Deposit Protection Checker is an issue-spotting tool, not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for a qualified adviser. It tells you what usually applies to tenancy deposit protection and prescribed information, which documents matter and which 1 to 3 times deposit penalty or deposit deductions dispute question to ask next, but it cannot read your full file, argue your case or represent you. If you face a court date, a tribunal deadline, homelessness risk or a serious safety issue, get advice from Shelter, Citizens Advice, a housing solicitor or your local council.
Pro tip: take your Deposit Protection Checker result and your evidence log to the adviser; a clear timeline covering 30 day deposit deadline makes a first appointment far more useful.
