Your Section 21 notice needs checking: deposit was protected
That clears the basic protection question, but timing and prescribed-information issues can still matter.
Legal basis for this outcome
This outcome is based on Housing Act 2004, section 215. Because the deposit was protected, the point needs checking alongside the dates, documents, and other Section 21 requirements before you can treat the notice as safe or defective.
Legal conclusion: Possible issue identified. Confidence: Medium confidence.
How the checker uses this point: The checker moves from basic protection to the 30-day deadline and prescribed-information branch once protection itself is confirmed.
Why it matters legally: Where a deposit was taken, failure to protect it properly can bar reliance on Section 21 under the Housing Act 2004.
What could change the answer: The answer can change if the landlord can prove an earlier protection date, an earlier service date for prescribed information, or a proper return of the deposit before service. If the paperwork is incomplete, the underlying scheme record often changes the analysis.
What to gather
- Deposit protection certificate, scheme confirmation, or screenshots from DPS, MyDeposits, or TDS.
- The date the deposit was paid and the date it was protected or returned.
- The prescribed information pack and any email or letter that served it.
What to do next
- Keep the notice and supporting documents together so you can test the full chain, not just this point.
- Run the full Section 21 checker to see whether this combines with other issues.
- If the landlord starts court action, keep the evidence ready for a defence or advice appointment.
Free checkers
- Re-run the checker
Run the full Section 21 checker again to test this point with the rest of the notice chain. - Can my landlord evict me?
Read the broader eviction guide if the landlord may switch routes or has already started court action.
Related guidance inside this topic
- If your next step turns on legacy Section 21 notice rules, read Section 21 notice checker.
- For the dates, forms, and evidence behind legacy Section 21 notice rules, see Section 21 invalid guide before you respond.
- If this issue overlaps with legacy Section 21 notice rules, check Section 21 notice validity outcome guides to compare the legal tests.
- For a fuller breakdown of legacy Section 21 notice rules, use tenant rights guide for the underlying rule set.
- If you need the route-specific rules on legacy Section 21 notice rules, start with what happens after Section 21 ended so you can check the dates and documents against your own case.
Related articles
- Old rules vs new rules after May 2026
The side-by-side transition guide for Section 21, Section 8, rent increases, and periodic tenancies after 1 May 2026. - Renters' Rights Act 2026: complete guide
The main reform guide covering Section 21 abolition, Section 8, rent increases, pets, and private rented sector enforcement changes. - Tenant checklist England 2026
A stage-by-stage checklist for issues before move-in, during the tenancy, and at move-out. - Can my landlord evict me in 2026?
A route-selection guide for tenants trying to distinguish valid possession, informal pressure, and unlawful eviction. - Tenancy deposit protection guide
How the 30-day protection rules, prescribed information, deductions, and penalty claims work.
Common questions
- Does "the deposit was protected" automatically decide the whole notice?
- No. This page isolates one legal condition from the full Section 21 chain. A legacy notice can still rise or fall on other dates, documents, deposit issues, licensing points, or retaliatory-eviction facts.
- What evidence usually matters most?
- Deposit protection certificate, scheme confirmation, or screenshots from DPS, MyDeposits, or TDS. The date the deposit was paid and the date it was protected or returned. The prescribed information pack and any email or letter that served it.
- What should I do next?
- Keep the notice and supporting documents together so you can test the full chain, not just this point. Run the full Section 21 checker to see whether this combines with other issues. If the landlord starts court action, keep the evidence ready for a defence or advice appointment.
Use the interactive checker on getrentersrights.com for the full step-by-step result.