Is your deposit protected?
Use our handy ‘Deposit checker’ to find out if your deposit is protected with us. If you disagree with the deductions to your deposit, you can request a resolution.
Where is my deposit?
Where is my deposit?
Check it is protected
You should have been given the prescribed information at the beginning of your tenancy. You can also use our deposit checker to see if your deposit is protected with us.
Insured or Custodial?
For our insured scheme references will begin with DPC or EWC and for our custodial it’s DPN. Your prescribed information will also confirm how your deposit was protected. If you are unable to find this, then please use our deposit checker which you will find at the top of this webpage. Alternatively, you may wish to contact your landlord or agent to request a copy of the prescribed information.
Where is my certificate number?
You can find your certificate number on your prescribed information, you can use the deposit checker at the top of the page to locate it.
How do I get my deposit back?
How do I get my deposit back?
End of tenancy
When you’re coming to the end of your contract, talk to your landlord or agent to agree an end date and discuss the deposit return. Your landlord or agent will likely arrange for an inspection after you leave to check the condition of the property.
Request deposit
You will need to formally request for the deposit to be returned to you and allow 10 calendar days for their response. However, they do not need to return the deposit within this timeframe.
Agree amount
Your landlord or agent may ask to keep some, or all, of your original tenancy deposit to cover things like cleaning or damage. You can either agree, negotiate or disagree with this amount.
Deposit release
If the deposit is protected with our insured scheme and you have agreed on the amount to be returned, you can now discuss with the landlord or agent how and when the deposit will be returned, If the deposit is protected in our custodial scheme, you can log into your online account and request the agreed deposit amount to be returned to you.
Request a resolution
If you cannot agree on the deposit amount being returned, you will be offered free resolution by our specialist team. All parties (you, your landlord or your agent) must agree to use it.
You can view the full resolution process including the timeframes for each step here.
Payment of interest to tenants
If your deposit is held with us in our custodial deposit protection scheme, after 182 days you will earn interest on it. This means that at the end of your tenancy, you might receive interest in addition to getting your deposit back. You can also choose to donate this interest to our partner charity, Centrepoint. Find out more here: https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/centrepoint/.
Understanding tenancy deposits and holding deposits
What is a security deposit?
A tenancy deposit, often called a security deposit, is a sum of money you pay at the start of a tenancy. It acts as a safety net for your landlord in case of unpaid rent or damage to the property. By law, your tenancy deposit must be protected in a government-authorised deposit protection scheme UK within 30 days of you paying it. Your landlord or letting agent must also give you a document called the prescribed information to prove your money is safe.
What is a holding deposit?
A holding deposit is a smaller payment made to reserve a rental property while your landlord completes reference checks and prepares the tenancy agreement. Under UK holding deposit law, this amount is strictly capped at a maximum of one week’s rent. Once your tenancy starts, the holding deposit is usually put towards your first month’s rent or your main tenancy deposit, meaning it is not an extra fee.
Holding deposit vs tenancy deposit
It is easy to confuse the two, but they serve very different purposes:
- Purpose: A holding deposit reserves the property, while a tenancy deposit covers potential damages or rent arrears during your stay
- Legal limit: A holding deposit is capped at one week’s rent. A tenancy deposit in the UK is legally capped at five weeks’ rent (or six weeks if your annual rent is over £50,000)
- Protection: Only the main tenancy deposit needs to go into an official protection scheme. Holding deposits do not require scheme protection, but strict rules govern when they must be refunded
Related guides to help you manage your deposit
Navigate the end of your tenancy with confidence using our expert resources:
- Find out exactly how to get your deposit back smoothly
- Learn how adjudicators assess fair wear and tear compared to actual damage
- Understand the tenancy deposit dispute process if you cannot reach an agreement
- Read our complete guide to our dispute resolution service
- Discover the best ways of getting evidence ready for negotiation or resolution
How do I request a resolution?
If you can’t agree with your landlord or agent about the amount of the deposit to be returned, or you are not satisfied with their explanation for withholding the deposit, you can use our free resolution service. This must be done within three months of the date that you moved out of the property or it being unprotected, whichever is sooner.
Is your landlord protecting your deposit correctly?
If you have questions about how your deposit is protected, it’s always best to speak to your landlord first. If you’re still unsure, our advice and resources can help. Visit our content hub to learn more about your rights and how our dispute resolution service can assist you if issues arise at the end of your tenancy.
Is your landlord looking for a government authorised scheme? They can join mydeposits here.
