Your landlord must protect your deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it and give you written prescribed information within the same period. If they did not, you may be entitled to compensation of between one and three times the deposit amount. Use this tool to check whether your deposit was protected correctly and what your options are if it was not.
How to use this tool
- Enter the date you paid your deposit and the amount.
- Answer the questions about the scheme and when you received your paperwork.
- Your results will show whether each requirement was met and what you can do next.
Understanding your results
A pass on all three checks means your landlord met the legal requirements. Your deposit should be returned at the end of the tenancy subject to the agreed deductions, with any dispute handled through the scheme’s free dispute resolution service.
A fail on any check means your landlord did not comply with the Housing Act 2004. You may apply to the county court for an order requiring the landlord to protect the deposit and pay you compensation. The court sets the compensation amount between one and three times the deposit. You can make this claim during the tenancy or after it has ended. The right to claim does not expire when the tenancy ends.
An unknown result means you need to obtain more information before the check can be completed. The tool will show you the steps to find that information.
The law behind this tool
Under the Housing Act 2004 (sections 213 to 215), landlords in England and Wales who take a tenancy deposit for an assured shorthold tenancy must protect it in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it. The three approved schemes are: Deposit Protection Service (DPS), MyDeposits, and Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS). Within the same 30-day period, the landlord must provide the tenant with prescribed information about the scheme. If a landlord fails to comply, the tenant can apply to county court. The court can order the landlord to repay the deposit or protect it, and to pay the tenant between one and three times the deposit amount as a penalty. These obligations apply to tenancies in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate schemes and rules.
Related tools
- Deposit Cap Calculator — check the maximum deposit your landlord can legally charge
- Deposit Deduction Calculator — work out whether proposed deductions at the end of your tenancy are fair
- Notice Period Calculator — find the correct notice period for your tenancy under current rules
Save your results: create a free account to store your check results and return to them later.
Legal context
Under the Housing Act 2004, landlords in England must protect deposits in a government-approved scheme (DPS, MyDeposits, or TDS) within 30 days of receipt and serve prescribed information on the tenant. Failure to protect a deposit or serve prescribed information means a tenant can claim between one and three times the deposit amount in court. The deposit cap is 5 weeks’ rent for annual rent under £50,000 and 6 weeks’ rent for annual rent of £50,000 or more, under the Tenant Fees Act 2019.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a landlord have to protect a tenancy deposit?
Under the Housing Act 2004 (section 213), a landlord must protect a tenancy deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it. The 30-day period starts on the day the landlord receives the deposit, not the day the tenancy begins. A deposit protected on day 31 or later is a late protection and the landlord may face a compensation claim.
What are the three government-approved deposit protection schemes?
The three approved schemes in England and Wales are: Deposit Protection Service (DPS), MyDeposits, and Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS). Each scheme offers both custodial and insured protection options. Custodial means the scheme holds the money. Insured means the landlord holds it but pays a fee to the scheme to cover any dispute.
What is prescribed information and when must the landlord provide it?
Prescribed information is a set of documents and details the landlord must give the tenant within 30 days of receiving the deposit. It includes the deposit amount, the scheme used, the scheme’s dispute resolution process, and the scheme’s information leaflet. A landlord who protects the deposit but fails to provide prescribed information in time is in breach of the Housing Act 2004 and may face a compensation order.
What compensation can a tenant claim if the deposit was not protected on time?
A tenant can apply to the county court for an order requiring the landlord to protect the deposit and pay compensation of between one and three times the deposit amount. The court decides the exact amount based on the facts. Late protection or late prescribed information both trigger this right. The claim can be made during the tenancy or after it ends.
Does the landlord need to re-protect the deposit when the tenancy renews?
If the deposit was validly protected at the start and the tenancy rolls into a statutory periodic tenancy, most schemes treat the protection as continuing. However, if the landlord returns the deposit and takes a new deposit for the renewal, the new deposit must be protected within 30 days and prescribed information must be provided again. Some schemes require a positive confirmation step when a fixed term ends. Check with your scheme directly.
How can a tenant check whether their deposit is protected?
Each of the three schemes has a free online search tool. Visit the websites of DPS, MyDeposits, and TDS and enter your tenancy postcode and deposit amount. If you know which scheme your landlord used from the prescribed information, search that scheme first. If no result is found across all three, the deposit may not be protected and you should seek advice from Shelter or Citizens Advice.
What should a tenant do if the landlord has not protected the deposit?
If you cannot find your deposit in any of the three schemes, write to your landlord asking which scheme holds it and request the certificate and prescribed information. Keep a copy of your letter or email. If the landlord does not respond or confirms the deposit is unprotected, you can apply to the county court using Form N208 (a Part 8 claim). Citizens Advice and Shelter can guide you through this process.
Do deposit protection rules apply in Scotland?
Scotland has its own deposit protection scheme called SafeDeposits Scotland. The rules differ from England and Wales. In Scotland, landlords must protect a deposit within 30 working days of the tenancy start date and serve prescribed information in the same period. If you are a tenant in Scotland, this tool does not apply to your situation. Use SafeDeposits Scotland’s own resources instead.
What happens to deposit protection when a fixed-term tenancy becomes periodic?
Under the Housing Act 2004, a deposit protected during a fixed-term tenancy is treated as continuing to be protected when the tenancy rolls over to a periodic tenancy, provided the landlord and tenant remain the same and the deposit amount has not changed. The landlord does not need to re-protect the deposit unless the terms change. However, prescribed information should be re-issued if the tenancy terms change materially.
Does the prescribed information need to include the scheme leaflet?
Yes. The prescribed information requirements under the Housing (Tenancy Deposits) (Prescribed Information) Order 2007 include the scheme’s information leaflet as a required document. Providing all other prescribed information but omitting the leaflet means the landlord has not fully complied. Courts have held that incomplete prescribed information triggers the same compensation right as failing to protect at all.