Find Properties:

Use my current location
AdvancedBasic search
Draw a search

Lettings: A Guide to Deposit Protection Schemes

Wed 29 Jun 2016

Few things have caused more ill feeling between landlords and tenants over the years than deposits. In the bad old days, some landlords would demand a hefty deposit from tenants, then return only a fraction of the deposit at the expiration of the tenancy, citing ‘wear and tear’ to the property. And the tenants, in many cases, would just have to grin and bear it. Bang went most of their deposit and they would have to scramble around for money to put down as a deposit for a new home.

Now, thanks to compulsory deposit schemes introduced by the government (www.gov.uk/deposit-protection-schemes-and-landlords/overview), the system is far more transparent and equitable to both parties. Whether you are a landlord or a tenant, you will need to familiarise yourself with these schemes. Here are 10 points to understand or consider.

1. Deposits are paid at the outset of a tenancy and are typically equivalent to one month’s rent – occasionally more. They are designed to cover such things as damage to a property, cleaning and unpaid utility bills.

2. Landlords are now legally required to safeguard their tenants’ deposits with one of three government-backed deposit protection schemes: Deposit Protection Service (www.depositprotection.com), MyDeposits (www.mydeposits.co.uk) and Tenancy Deposit Scheme (www.tenancydepositscheme.com). This legislation applies to all properties let on an assured shorthold tenancy after 6 April, 2007.

3. Letting agents are empowered to act on behalf of landlords, and often do.

4. Deposit protection schemes are not applicable to any deposits paid before the signing of a rental agreement – although such preliminary deposits are later incorporated into the scheme. Protection schemes are also not required when landlords are living in the same property as the tenant.

5. There are two basic types of deposit protection scheme. These are custodial and insurance. Under the first, the landlord lodges the deposit for the duration of the tenancy. The money is then released to the tenant when the landlord and tenant have agreed how much of the original deposit should be repaid. Under the second, the landlord pays a fee to have the deposit protected, then repays the tenant at the end of the tenancy. If he fails to do so, the insurer will pay the tenant directly, then try to recoup the money from the landlord.

6. Inventories – perhaps surprisingly – are not a formal requirement under deposit protection schemes. But it is obviously beneficial to both landlords and tenants to have an agreed record of the state of a property, and of its contents, at the start of a tenancy.

7. It is also worth noting that, even if a deposit is paid by a third party (perhaps the tenant’s parents), a full deposit protection scheme is still required by law.

8. The onus of putting a tenant’s deposit in a protection scheme falls squarely on landlords, or their agents. It must be done within 30 days of the signature of a rental agreement, and landlords are required to inform tenants which protection scheme they are using. They are also required to supply further information, such as the circumstances in which they would propose not to return some or all of the deposit.

9. At the end of a tenancy, tenants can expect to get their full deposits back, provided they have paid all outstanding bills and stuck to the terms of the tenancy agreement, and provided there has been no damage to the property or its contents. The question of damage can be a matter of dispute between landlords and tenants. It is not incumbent on the tenants to return the property to exactly the same state it was in when they first moved in.

10. Should the landlord and tenant remain unable to agree how much of the deposit the landlord should retain at the end of the tenancy, such issues can be ironed out via the protection scheme’s resolution service. A tenant also has the protection of the law, in the form of the county court, if they suspect that the landlord has defaulted on their duty to lodge a deposit in a deposit protection scheme.

Compulsory deposit protection schemes are a huge improvement on the haphazard system that preceded them. The schemes enable both landlords and tenants to sign a tenancy agreement with confidence, which must be good news for the rental sector.

News Archive

October 2022

Top Qualities to Look for in an Estate Agency

July 2022

Will house prices keep rising, and is it a good time to move?

June 2022

Tips For Saving For Your First Home

May 2022

Top Tips For Selling Your Home

March 2022

5 Ways To Spruce Your Home For Spring

December 2021

Brown & Cockerill Named Best Agent In The West Midlands Region By Relocation Agent Network

October 2021

Maintaining you rental property this winter

Rents rise at fastest rate for 13 years

Why Autumn is a good time to make the move

A guide for first time tenants

September 2021

Why You Should Rent Through A Reputable Agent

Top tips on being ready to sell your property

August 2021

Lettings market records its strongest month

How has the property market been impacted after the stamp duty changes?

Gardening tips for landlords

July 2021

Common mistakes when selling your home and how to avoid them

Top tips on increasing the rental value of your property

Property price predictions for the rest of 2021

June 2021

Choosing the right lettings agents

A beginner's guide to selling a property

A guide on buy-to-let mortgages

Everything you need to know about the Stamp Duty changes

May 2021

Tips for renting out a property

How to maximise your house value in the current climate

Restaurants to Visit in Rugby, Warwickshire

Rental prices are on the rise

April 2021

Alfresco Dining in Rugby

Five top tips for getting your garden spring-ready ...

What The Government’s 95% Mortgage Scheme Means For Buyers

January 2021

“What should you spend time and money on when improving your property?”

November 2019

National Estate Agent Conference

April 2019

What is the difference between Outline and Full Planning Permission?

February 2019

Best Ways To Increase Your Rental Property's Energy Efficiency

January 2019

Shared Ownership - What is it?

October 2018

Taxes Payable by Landlords & Investors - A Guide

August 2018

We win GOLD for the 3rd year running.

May 2018

The Facts - Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

February 2018

Relocation Experts Recognised at Brown & Cockerill Estate Agents

November 2017

Chancellor abolishes Stamp Duty for First-Time Buyers in England and Wales in his Budget

The Team Attends National Estate Agency Conference and Exhibition.

September 2017

Brown & Cockerill win Silver at National British Property Awards

It's Official - We are the Best in Rugby!

July 2017

The Pros and Cons of 'Online' Estate Agents

Top tips for reducing condensation

May 2017

The importance of your credit rating when applying for a mortgage

Thinking about selling but worried about the length of your lease?

April 2017

Tenant Referencing - what you need to consider

March 2017

How to Spot and Tackle Japanese Knotweed

February 2017

10 things to do before applying for a mortgage

HOUSING WHITE PAPER: The Key Points

January 2017

Woodworm Treatment - The ins and outs that you need to know

December 2016

Selling Your House? Don't Wait for the New Year!

August 2016

Brown & Cockerill Offer Clients a Relocation Agent Specialist

July 2016

Brown & Cockerill win GOLD for Best Estate Agent in RUGBY!

June 2016

Lettings: A Guide to Deposit Protection Schemes

Property Jargon Buster - a glossary of terms

May 2016

Thinking of Buying a Second Home? a guide to stamp duty changes.

April 2016

Rents Rising Across Most of the UK

March 2016

Keeping a Property Tenanted

Brown & Cockerill Help Home-Movers to Celebrate!

February 2016

FEBRUARY is here which means it is the month of LOVE

This Year We Are Celebrating Our 20th Anniversary !

January 2016

Help to Prevent Damp & Mould

Do your tenants have the Right to Rent?

Proposed New Stamp Duty Rules

December 2015

Buying or selling a property with asbestos?

Gazundering: A guide to what it means and how to avoid it!

November 2015

The Team Attends National Estate Agency Conference