In Northern Ireland, a landlord can ask for a deposit of no more than one month’s rent, a cap in force since 1 April 2023. They must protect it in an approved scheme within 28 days of receiving it and give you written information about the tenancy within 35 days.
These rules apply to private tenancies in Northern Ireland only. England, Scotland and Wales each have their own deposit laws, with different caps and deadlines.
How much can a landlord ask for?
Since 1 April 2023, a landlord in Northern Ireland can only ask for a deposit of up to one month’s rent.
England uses a different cap, explained in our five weeks’ rent deposit guide. If you are comparing homes in different parts of the UK, check which nation’s rules apply.
Protection and paperwork deadlines
Once you pay a deposit, your landlord has two deadlines to meet.
- Within 28 days of receiving it: protect the deposit in an approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
- Within 35 days: give you written information about the tenancy. Housing Rights says this includes the tenancy details, a protection certificate and a leaflet about the scheme.
The written information should tell you which scheme holds your deposit and how to raise a disagreement about its return. Keep it safe. You will need it at the end of the tenancy.
The approved schemes
nidirect names two appointed scheme administrators in Northern Ireland:
- Tenancy Deposit Scheme Northern Ireland
- My Deposits Northern Ireland
Schemes work in one of two ways. In a custodial scheme, the scheme holds the money for the whole tenancy. In an insurance scheme, the landlord keeps the money, and the scheme steps in if there is a dispute. Your written information will tell you which type you are in.
Getting your deposit back
At the end of the tenancy, you or your landlord can ask the scheme to repay the deposit. In the custodial scheme, each side has 30 days to respond and agree or disagree with the amount.
If you both agree, the scheme administrator must repay you within five working days of that agreement. If you disagree, the administrator keeps holding the money until the amount is settled.
If your landlord wants to keep part of the deposit, for example for unpaid rent, read whether a landlord can take unpaid rent from a deposit.
If you and your landlord disagree
Each scheme has a free dispute resolution service. Before using it, you must have tried and failed to sort out the disagreement yourselves. A tenant can only start dispute action after leaving the property.
- If you ask for the dispute to go to adjudication, it goes ahead even if the landlord does not agree.
- If your landlord asks, it only goes ahead if you agree.
- An independent adjudicator decides within 20 working days of the scheme passing the case to them.
- Everyone must be told the decision within five working days.
- You can ask for a review within ten working days, but only if the adjudicator made a mistake in the law or failed to consider factual evidence.
- After a final decision, the scheme must return the deposit within five working days.
You can go to court instead, but nidirect warns that court proceedings can take a long time.
What if your deposit is not protected?
If your landlord does not protect your deposit within 28 days, or does not give you the written information within 35 days, contact your local council’s Environmental Health Office.
According to nidirect, the council can fine a landlord three times the amount of the deposit. The council can also prosecute, and a court can fine a landlord up to £20,000 if convicted.
Worked example (fictional)
Aoife rents a flat in Belfast for £850 a month.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly rent | £850 |
| Maximum deposit (one month’s rent) | £850 |
| If the landlord asked for £1,000, the amount over the cap | £150 |
| Council fine possible if the £850 deposit is not protected (three times the deposit) | £2,550 |
Aoife pays £850. Her landlord must protect it by day 28 and send her the tenancy information by day 35. When she moves out and they agree on the amount, a custodial scheme must repay her within five working days.
Work out your deposit
Use the tenancy deposit calculator to check a deposit figure. Note that it models England’s deposit cap, so for a home in Northern Ireland, the maximum is simply one month’s rent. For the other nations, see deposit rules in Scotland and deposit rules in Wales.
Sources
- nidirect: Tenancy Deposit Scheme, information for tenants, checked 10 October 2026
- nidirect: Tenancy Deposit Scheme, information for landlords, checked 10 October 2026
- nidirect: Custodial scheme, information for tenants, checked 10 October 2026
- nidirect: Sorting out disputes, checked 10 October 2026
- Housing Rights: Deposits and fees, checked 10 October 2026
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Report a possible error.