Does my landlord have to protect my deposit?

For a covered money deposit, the landlord must use an authorised scheme and give prescribed information within 30 days. The current regime continues that duty for new assured tenancies and tenancies that were assured shorthold tenancies immediately before 1 May 2026; transitional exceptions require separate checking. Established section 214 non-compliance can lead to court-ordered deposit relief and a statutory sum between 1 and 3 times the deposit.

What is prescribed information?

Prescribed information is a set of details your landlord must give you about the deposit. It must include: the amount of the deposit, the address of the property, the name and contact details of the tenancy deposit scheme, how to apply to get the deposit back, what to do if there is a dispute about the deposit, and the circumstances in which the landlord can keep all or part of the deposit. Your landlord must serve this on you within 30 days of receiving the deposit.

What if the deposit was protected late?

If the deposit was not protected within 30 days, you can claim compensation of 1–3 times the deposit. Late protection does not erase the original breach, and late protection alone does not remove the Section 21 restriction created by section 215 of the Housing Act 2004. For a legacy Section 21 notice, the landlord generally cannot rely on the notice unless the deposit has already been returned to you, or the section 214 claim route has been resolved. Get advice quickly if a Section 21 notice was served while the deposit was still unreturned.

Can I withhold rent because my deposit was not protected?

No. Withholding rent because of deposit issues is risky and can lead to rent arrears grounds for eviction. Instead, you should pursue a separate compensation claim through the county court for 1–3 times the deposit. Seek advice from Shelter (0808 800 4444) before taking any action.

How do I find out if my deposit is protected?

You can check all three government-approved schemes directly at thedepositprotectionservice.com, mydeposits.co.uk, and tenancydepositscheme.com. Search using your postcode and tenancy start date. If no scheme holds your deposit, it has not been protected.

Is this legal advice?

No. This is general legal information based on UK housing legislation. If a deposit dispute or court claim is involved, seek advice from Shelter (0808 800 4444) or Citizens Advice.

Check whether your tenancy deposit was protected correctly

Published and maintained by the Get Renters Rights teamRules last reviewed 30 July 2026How we build these checkers

Covers deposit protection timing, the 30-day rule, prescribed information requirements, and the link between deposit failures and Section 21 invalidity under the Housing Act 2004 and Deregulation Act 2015.

Every checker is free at the core. See what the Full Legal Report adds (from £9).

Scope of this checker

Covers deposit protection in an approved scheme within 30 days, prescribed information served within 30 days, prescribed information content requirements, HMO and joint tenancy complications, replacement tenancies, and the effect of late protection on a Section 21 notice.

Deposit guides

Deposit protection guide
Full guide to the 30-day rule, prescribed information, and compensation claims.
Deposit not protected and Section 21
How unprotected deposits block a landlord from serving a valid Section 21 notice.
Deposit protected late
What happens when the deposit was protected after the 30-day deadline.
Prescribed information not received
The separate prescribed-information duty and what it means if it was never served.
Tenancy deposit compensation claim
Claiming 1 to 3 times the deposit where protection or prescribed information failed.
Landlord keeping deposit without evidence
Challenging deductions where the landlord cannot evidence the loss claimed.
Checker hub
All free tenant rights checkers for England.
Section 21 checker
Check if deposit issues make your Section 21 notice invalid.

Sources used for this guide

These are primary legislation and public guidance sources that support the legal-information framework used on this page.

Housing Act 2004
Primary statute for tenancy deposit protection schemes and prescribed information requirements.
Deregulation Act 2015
Amended deposit rules for replacement tenancies and the effect of late protection on Section 21.
GOV.UK: deposit protection
Official guidance on deposit schemes, prescribed information, and disputes.
Shelter England: deposits
Housing charity guidance on deposit protection, late protection, and compensation.

Common questions

Does my landlord have to protect my deposit?: For a covered money deposit, the landlord must use an authorised scheme and give prescribed information within 30 days. The current regime continues that duty for new assured tenancies and tenancies that were assured shorthold tenancies immediately before 1 May 2026; transitional exceptions require separate checking. Established section 214 non-compliance can lead to court-ordered deposit relief and a statutory sum between 1 and 3 times the deposit.
What is prescribed information?: Prescribed information is a set of details your landlord must give you about the deposit. It must include: the amount of the deposit, the address of the property, the name and contact details of the tenancy deposit scheme, how to apply to get the deposit back, what to do if there is a dispute about the deposit, and the circumstances in which the landlord can keep all or part of the deposit. Your landlord must serve this on you within 30 days of receiving the deposit.
What if the deposit was protected late?: If the deposit was not protected within 30 days, you can claim compensation of 1–3 times the deposit. Late protection does not erase the original breach, and late protection alone does not remove the Section 21 restriction created by section 215 of the Housing Act 2004. For a legacy Section 21 notice, the landlord generally cannot rely on the notice unless the deposit has already been returned to you, or the section 214 claim route has been resolved. Get advice quickly if a Section 21 notice was served while the deposit was still unreturned.
Can I withhold rent because my deposit was not protected?: No. Withholding rent because of deposit issues is risky and can lead to rent arrears grounds for eviction. Instead, you should pursue a separate compensation claim through the county court for 1–3 times the deposit. Seek advice from Shelter (0808 800 4444) before taking any action.
How do I find out if my deposit is protected?: You can check all three government-approved schemes directly at thedepositprotectionservice.com, mydeposits.co.uk, and tenancydepositscheme.com. Search using your postcode and tenancy start date. If no scheme holds your deposit, it has not been protected.
Is this legal advice?: No. This is general legal information based on UK housing legislation. If a deposit dispute or court claim is involved, seek advice from Shelter (0808 800 4444) or Citizens Advice.

Use the interactive checker on getrentersrights.com for the full step-by-step result.