If you are renting private accommodation then your landlord must put your deposit in a government backed tenancy deposit scheme.
In England and Wales there is a very clearly defined mechanism to ensure your tenancy deposit is protected and not open to inappropriate use. Your landlord is legally obligated to hold your deposit in one of three government backed schemes specifically the Deposit Protection Services (DPS), MyDeposit and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS). Legislation currently dictates that landlords have to put your deposit in one of the three schemes, for the duration of your tenancy, within 30 days of receiving it.
The role of the tenancy protections schemes is to ensure that you get your deposit back if:
- You meet the terms of your tenancy agreement
- You don’t damage the property
- You pay your rent and bills
At the end of your tenancy your landlord must return your deposit within 10 days of agreeing any deductions (due to any property damage). If you are in dispute with your landlord over the final amount then your deposit will remain in the scheme until a mutually agreeable amount can be finalised.
If your landlord has not registered your deposit with one of the three schemes then they are in direct violation of the law. Our role is to help you check your deposit has been correctly protected.