Tenancy deposit: tips to protect your money when you move in and out

Simple tips on how to protect your tenancy deposit and avoid unnecessary costs when moving into a new home and when it’s time to move out.

Saved a deposit, nervously passed the credit checks (renting a house with bad credit: how to make it happen), and now the excitement of moving into a new home comes.

But it’s important to think about your tenancy deposit.

The tenancy deposit is the money you pay at the start to cover any possible damage while you live there.

Protecting your deposit starts the moment you move in and continues until you move out.

Here are some tips to help you keep as much of your deposit so the landlord doesn’t deduct the money, leaving you with less.

What to do when you move in

Check the property carefully

When you first move into your new home, check everything carefully – from the floor to the ceiling!

Look for any damage or issues and write them down. On top of that, make sure you take photos as proof and save them to an album on your phone.

Your landlord or letting agent may do this before you move in and provide you with an inventory report. They also might not!

Look around for things like chips in skirting boards or kitchen counters, stains on carpets or walls, check inside any kitchen appliance and look for cracks in doors or mirrors. If you have a garden, it’s definitely worth doing the same outside.

This will give you a record and evidence of what the place was like when you moved in.

A member of our community shared that they did exactly this, and it paid off!

She told us, “My old letting agent tried charging me for a big tear in the carpet…which I gladly took a picture of with a date stamp on the day I moved in. Lucky enough my sofa covered it while I lived there then I tried getting charged for the damage when I left… I didn’t stand for it and had to fight for my money back via an independent reviewer and I won!”

If you have the evidence, then you are more certain to get your money back.

Understand your rental agreement

Read your rental agreement well, as it will tell you what you can and can’t do on the property, like painting walls, putting up a shelf, or having pets.

Knowing these rules can help you avoid doing something that might cost you your deposit later.

If you want to do something to the property, ask the letting agent or landlord for written permission. Then, you will have evidence of what was agreed upon.

Communicate with your landlord

If you find anything broken or damaged when you move in, tell your landlord straight away.

It’s better to sort these things out early rather than have disagreements when it’s time to move out.

During your stay

Take care of the property

As well as paying your rent each month, taking good care of the home is the best way to protect your deposit.

Treat the property well and fix any small problems before they get big. This way, you won’t have surprises at the end of your tenancy.

Keep records

Keep records of any repairs or conversations with your landlord, including emails or notes about things you’ve fixed or improved.

This can be very helpful if there are any disagreements about the property’s condition when you leave.

A community member shared with us that a friend was nearly charged for something already reported.

“My ex got charged for a broken blind in his room, even though he’d reported it and the landlady said she’d get it sorted.”

What to do when you move out

Clean thoroughly

Before you hand back the keys and get your address changes sorted for your new place, clean the property thoroughly. This means more than just a quick tidy-up.

Clean the oven and windows and get into all the nooks and crannies. Check your rental agreement to see if you need to pay for carpet cleaning, particularly if you have pets.

A clean home will make a good impression and increase the chances of getting your full deposit back.

Fix any damage

If you’ve accidentally damaged anything, try to fix it before you leave.

It’s often cheaper to fix things or put things right yourself than to have your landlord take the cost from your deposit.

One of our community members told us: “I was billed £85 for a cracked milk tray in the fridge”. It may have been cheaper to source and replace this part directly, rather than having a charge come off the deposit.

It could even be something as small as replacing a lightbulb, which is just a good courtesy.

Final walk-through

Ask your landlord for a final walk-through of the property.

Go through the inventory list you made when you moved in.

This is your chance to discuss any issues and agree on the property’s condition.

Return all keys

Make sure you return all the keys to your landlord.

This includes any copies you might have made. If you don’t, you might be charged for a lock change.

Request your deposit

After you move out, ask your landlord for your deposit back.

They should return it within ten days if there are no issues.

If there are deductions, they should explain why.

If you don’t agree with the deductions, you can challenge them.

What is the Tenancy Deposit Scheme?

When you rent a place to live, you usually pay a tenancy deposit.

This is money that your landlord holds to cover any damage or unpaid rent during your stay.

In England and Wales, the law says this money must be protected in a Tenancy Deposit Scheme.

Why is the Tenancy Deposit Protected?

The main reason is to keep your deposit safe and make sure you get it back if you haven’t damaged the property and you’ve paid your rent.

It also helps solve any disagreements between you and your landlord about the deposit when you move out.

How does it work?

After you pay your deposit, your landlord must put it in a government-approved scheme within 30 days. There are three main schemes in England and Wales:

1. Deposit Protection Service
2. MyDeposits including Capita
3. Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Your landlord should tell you which scheme they’ve used, how to contact them, and how to get your deposit back when you move out.

Your money stays in the scheme until you’re ready to leave the property. It’s safe there, and it ensures that no one can unfairly take it.

When your tenancy ends, you and your landlord agree on how much of the deposit should be returned to you. If you both agree, the scheme will give you your money back. If there’s a disagreement, the scheme offers a free service to help solve it.

What If the Landlord Doesn’t Protect Your Deposit?

If your landlord hasn’t protected your deposit or hasn’t given you the required information about the scheme, they’re not following the law.

In this case, you can take them to court, but it may just be quicker to ask the landlord for the money back.

The court can order the landlord to pay you up to three times the deposit amount as a penalty.