How mydeposits works

1. How it Works

Mydeposits is straightforward to use for everyone, for tenants and our landlord and letting agent members. Read about each process in our simple step by step guide below.

2. Start of the tenancy

Step 1 You pay the deposit

You give your deposit to the landlord or letting agent

Step 2 Landlord protects the deposit

Your landlord pays a deposit protection fee to mydeposits to formally protect your deposit within 30 days of receiving it.
Your landlord can keep hold of your deposit in their bank account for the duration of the tenancy.

Step 3 Proof of protection issued

mydeposits produces a deposit protection certificate to confirm that your deposit is protected and sends it to your landlord.

Your landlord must sign the certificate and ask you to countersign it.

You should receive a copy of the certificate and the mydeposits Information for Tenants leaflet within 30 days.

3. End of your tenancy

Step 1 speak to your landlord or letting agent

Speak directly to your landlord or letting agent about how much of your deposit should be returned at the end of your stay.

Step 2 Deposit returned by your landlord

Your landlord returns all or part of the deposits to you within 10 days of agreeing the amount to be returned.

Step 3 Landlord unprotects deposit

Landlord contacts mydeposits and formally unprotects your deposit.

Step 4 Confirmation

We will advise you that your deposit has been unprotected.

If you and your landlord cannot agree on the amount of deposit to be returned, read our dispute resolution page.

4. Dispute resolution

Step 1 Advice

When you first contact us we will always advise to discuss the returns with your landlord before entering into a formal dispute.

Step 2 You notify mydeposits

You can lodge a formal dispute using our online service, you will need the deposit protection number found on your deposit protection certificate to begin.
Or you can request a dispute notification claim form from our call centre on 0844 890 0290.

You can lodge a dispute within three months of moving out of the property.

Step 3 submitting your evidence

Once you have notified us of the dispute you have 10 working days to submit your evidence.
Online – upload all your evidence via the online service by logging in.
Post – send all your evidence to us with your completed dispute claim notification form.

Step 4 Dispute case logged

The dispute is logged by mydeposits and given a unique reference number (URN).

Step 5 We contact your landlord

Within 10 working days we will notify your landlord of the dispute, their options to resolve it and how to view your evidence.

Step 6 Landlord lodges the disputed deposit amount with us

Within 10 working days your landlord must send us the disputed deposit amount for safekeeping.

We hold it in a secure bank account until a decision is reached.

Step 7 Landlord’s counter claim

Your landlord has 20 working days from the original dispute letter in Step 5 to supply their counter evidence.

Step 8 Evidence passed to Adjudicator

All evidence is passed to the adjudicator to make a decision.

Step 9 Decision made

We will distribute the deposit amount with 10 days of the decision.