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Based on 103 reviews
A tenancy deposit claim is a legal claim made by a tenant against their landlord for failing to properly protect their tenancy deposit in accordance with the law.
In England and Wales, landlords are required to:
Place the deposit in a government-approved tenancy deposit protection (TDP) scheme within 30 days of receiving it.
Provide the tenant with prescribed information about where and how the deposit is protected.
If a landlord fails to do either of these, they are in breach of the Housing Act 2004, and the tenant can make a tenancy deposit claim in court. If successful, the tenant may be awarded between 1 and 3 times the value of the deposit in compensation, and in some cases, the deposit itself must also be returned.
Based on 103 reviews
After my elusive landlord messed me around, I found Deposit Recovery and they secured me a lump sum settlement against my dishonest landlord. Justice has prevailed – Thanking you
Stewart
After my initial enquiry I signed dup with Deposit Recoveries and within 3 weeks I received the compensation that I was owed from the landlord who illegally deducted my deposit.
Lucas
Some landlords seem to think that the deposit we pay is easy money for them, fortunately i had solicitors backing me and was able to claim 3x my deposit back due to the landlord not protecting it. Impressed
Paul
Thought I’d lost my deposit to a careless landlord, but with the right legal advice, I actually received 2 times the original amount. Grateful for the guidance and the outcome—definitely restored my faith in the system.
Andy
We are Tenancy Deposit Solicitors, assisting you with claiming back unprotected deposits paid to your landlord. Contact us now to start the process.
We explain the Tenancy Deposit Claim process below, including the legal steps we’ll take.
The first step is to assess whether you may have a valid claim. Just answer a few quick questions about your tenancy deposit, and we’ll let you know if you could be entitled to compensation.
Next, we’ll review your tenancy agreement to check whether the correct documents and clauses were used. This review is quick, free of charge, and comes with no obligation to proceed.
After we’ve completed checks against the deposit protection databases, we’ll inform you whether your landlord has breached their legal obligations and if you have a valid claim. At this stage, the decision to proceed is entirely yours, with no pressure or obligation. We’re here to provide clear guidance and support if you choose to take the next steps.
As we are a UK law firm, no middle men are involved. Our solicitors will immediately start working on your case and communicate with you on a 1:1 basis.
The landlord has 14 days to settle the case. If no satisfactory outcome is reached, we will proceed with the case and take it to court to be argued before the judge.
We proceed the case to court, and should we be successful the standard deduction of 35% of your compensation is awarded to our firm and you will receive 65% of the compensation. If the case is not won, you don’t pay us a penny.
If your landlord failed to correctly protect your tenancy deposit, they may have breached their legal obligations under the Housing Act 2004. As a result, you could be entitled to pursue a tenancy deposit compensation claim worth between one and three times the value of your original deposit.
The amount awarded is calculated based on the number and severity of breaches.
Common breaches include:
Failure to protect the deposit within 30 days of receipt.
Failure to maintain deposit protection throughout the tenancy, including during renewals or extensions.
Failure to provide the tenant with prescribed information, such as the name of the deposit protection scheme and details of how the deposit is managed.
To find out if you have a valid claim, simply request a free tenancy deposit check. If possible, include a copy of your tenancy agreement. Our service is 100% confidential, and there is no obligation to proceed unless you choose to take legal action.
You might be surprised to learn how often landlords fail to meet their legal obligations when it comes to protecting tenancy deposits. Whether through simple oversight or deliberate neglect, thousands of tenants are affected every year — and many don’t even realise they could be owed compensation.
One of the most common reasons is lack of awareness. Many landlords, especially first-time or casual ones, don’t realise they’re legally required to protect your deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it. Others assume that simply holding the money securely or mentioning it in the contract is enough — but the law is much stricter than that.
Mistakes can also happen when tenancies are renewed. A landlord might protect the deposit initially but fail to update the paperwork or reissue required information when the agreement rolls over or is extended. Even if unintentional, these are still breaches of the rules — and you may still have a valid claim.
In more serious cases, some landlords intentionally avoid protecting deposits to make it easier to withhold money later or avoid the administrative hassle. This is unfair, and it’s exactly why tenancy deposit protection laws exist: to protect your money and ensure you’re treated fairly.
The good news? If your landlord didn’t follow the rules, you could be entitled to 1 to 3 times your deposit back in compensation. A quick, free deposit check is often all it takes to find out.
We are Tenancy Deposit Solicitors, assisting you with claiming back unprotected deposits paid to your landlord. Contact us now to start the process.
A tenancy deposit claim is a legal action taken by a tenant when a landlord fails to protect their deposit correctly in a government-approved scheme, as required by law. The tenant may be entitled to compensation of 1 to 3 times the deposit amount.
Your landlord must place your deposit in a government-approved scheme (like DPS, TDS, or MyDeposits) within 30 days of receiving it and provide you with written details (called “prescribed information”). If you didn’t receive this, it may not have been properly protected.
Yes, you can make a tenancy deposit claim even after your tenancy has ended. Claims can be made up to six years after the breach occurred.
The court can award compensation between 1 and 3 times the value of your original deposit, depending on the severity and nature of the landlord’s breach.
Common breaches include:
Failing to protect the deposit within 30 days.
Not providing prescribed information.
Not protecting the deposit for the entire duration of the tenancy, including renewals.
Ideally, you should provide your tenancy agreement, proof of deposit payment, and any communication you had with the landlord about the deposit. However, you can still begin a free claim check even if some documents are missing.
In most cases, claims are settled out of court. If a settlement isn’t reached, our partner solicitors can handle the court process on your behalf.
Each case varies, but straightforward claims can be resolved in a matter of weeks. More complex cases that go to court may take a few months.
No. Initial checks are free and there’s no obligation to proceed. If you choose to go ahead, we can assist you on a NO WIN, NO FEE basis.
Yes, you can make a claim during your tenancy. The law applies whether the tenancy is ongoing or has ended.