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When Do You Get Your Tenancy Deposit Back?

In England, your landlord must return your tenancy deposit within 10 days of you both agreeing how much you will get back. If you cannot agree, the money stays protected in the deposit scheme until the dispute is sorted out, and the scheme’s free dispute service can decide it.

How deposit protection works in England

If you rent on an assured periodic tenancy, your landlord must put your deposit in a government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme. Assured periodic tenancies replaced assured shorthold tenancies on 1 May 2026.

GOV.UK lists three approved schemes for England and Wales:

  • Deposit Protection Service
  • MyDeposits (including deposits that were held by Capita)
  • Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Your landlord or letting agent must protect the deposit within 30 days of getting it. Within those 30 days, they must also tell you which scheme holds it, why they might keep some or all of it, how to apply to get it back and what to do if there is a dispute. This rule applies even if someone else, such as a parent, paid the deposit for you.

If you are not sure where your deposit is, contact the schemes and ask. Shelter says you need your postcode, surname, tenancy start date and deposit amount to search.

The 10-day rule at the end of your tenancy

When you move out, you and your landlord need to agree how much of the deposit you get back. Once you both agree the amount, the landlord must return it within 10 days.

The 10 days run from the agreement, not from the day you move out. So the quicker you agree, the quicker the money comes back. Shelter suggests confirming your leaving date in writing before you go, asking your landlord when you will get your deposit back, and keeping all emails and messages.

If you cannot contact your landlord at the end of the tenancy, GOV.UK says you can “raise a dispute” with the scheme that holds your deposit. There may be a time limit for this, so contact the scheme as soon as possible.

What your landlord can and cannot deduct

GOV.UK says the scheme makes sure you get your deposit back if you:

  • meet the terms of your tenancy agreement
  • do not damage the property
  • pay your rent and bills

Shelter adds that any deductions must be reasonable and relate to money the landlord has lost. Your landlord cannot keep any of your deposit for fair wear and tear. That means changes from normal everyday living, such as small scuffs on walls, faded curtains or furniture, or worn flooring.

You should return the property in a similar state to when you moved in. You do not have to improve it, and Shelter says you do not have to pay for professional cleaning. Your check-in inventory is your best evidence of the property’s condition at the start.

If you disagree: disputes and ADR

Each approved scheme in England offers a free dispute resolution service, often called alternative dispute resolution (ADR). It is for when you and your landlord disagree about how much should be returned.

  • You do not have to use it, but if you do, both you and the landlord have to agree to it.
  • You will both be asked for evidence.
  • The decision about your deposit will be final.

While the dispute is going on, your deposit stays protected in the scheme.

If your landlord never protected your deposit, you can apply to your local county court. The court can order the landlord to repay it or pay it into a scheme within 14 days, and may order them to pay you up to 3 times the deposit.

Worked example (fictional)

Priya paid a deposit of £1,326.92 on a flat in England. She moves out on 31 October. Her landlord proposes keeping £150 for cleaning. Priya points to her check-in inventory and photos, and they agree a deduction of £60 on 4 November.

  • Deposit: £1,326.92
  • Agreed deduction: £60.00
  • Amount returned: £1,326.92 − £60.00 = £1,266.92

Because they agreed the amount on 4 November, the landlord must return £1,266.92 within 10 days of that date. If they had not agreed, the £1,326.92 would have stayed protected in the scheme until the dispute was resolved.

Meanwhile, Priya is paying rent on her new home and her new deposit before the old one comes back. Our guide to budgeting for the overlap between tenancies covers how to plan for that gap. Use the tenancy deposit calculator to check how much deposit your next landlord can ask for, and see the five weeks’ rent deposit explained for the rules on the cap in England.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

  • Scotland: deposits can be up to 2 months’ rent and must be protected within 30 working days of the tenancy starting. The three schemes are Letting Protection Service Scotland, mydeposits Scotland and SafeDeposits Scotland. At the end of the tenancy, you can contact the scheme yourself. If the landlord asks for deductions, you have 30 working days to say whether you agree. If the landlord does not contact the scheme, it will return your deposit in full within 30 days.
  • Wales: if you have an occupation contract, your landlord must use a government-approved scheme and has up to 30 days to meet the scheme requirements and give you the information about it. The Welsh Government says it usually takes 5 to 10 days for your landlord to return your deposit.
  • Northern Ireland: deposits can be no more than one month’s rent and must be protected within 28 days. The two schemes are Tenancy Deposit Scheme Northern Ireland and My Deposits Northern Ireland. In a custodial scheme, once you and the landlord agree the amount, the scheme must repay you within five working days. In a dispute, the adjudicator decides within 20 working days of receiving the case.

Related: What counts as fair wear and tear? · How to check your deposit is protected · Tenancy deposit rules in Scotland · Tenancy deposit rules in Wales

Sources

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Report a possible error.