Overview

Your landlord must put your deposit in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme (TDP) if you rent your home on an assured shorthold tenancy that started after 6 April 2007. In England and Wales your deposit can be registered with:

If you do not rent your home on an assured shorthold tenancy, your landlord can accept valuable items (for example a car or watch) as a deposit instead of money. The items will not be protected by a scheme.

They make sure you’ll get your deposit back if you:

  • meet the terms of your tenancy agreement
  • do not damage the property
  • pay your rent and bills

Your landlord or letting agent must put your deposit in the scheme within 30 days of getting it.

If you’re in Scotland or Northern Ireland

There are separate TDP schemes in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Find out about:

At the end of your tenancy

Your landlord must return your deposit within 10 days of you both agreeing how much you’ll get back.

If you’re in a dispute with your landlord, then your deposit will be protected in the TDP scheme until the issue is sorted out.

Holding deposits

Your landlord does not have to protect a holding deposit (money you pay to ‘hold’ a property before an agreement is signed). Once you become a tenant, the holding deposit becomes a deposit, which they must protect.

Deposits made by a third party

Your landlord must use a TDP scheme even if your deposit is paid by someone else, such as a rent deposit scheme or your parents.