Your deposit is often the biggest single payment you make when you move into a room or flat. The good news is that in England most deposits must be protected by law, and there’s a free process to resolve disputes. Here’s how it works in 2026 and how to give yourself the best chance of getting it all back.
This guide covers private renting in England. It’s general information, not legal advice. For your own situation, contact Shelter or Citizens Advice.
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The key rules at a glance
- Cap: a deposit can be no more than five weeks’ rent if annual rent is under £50,000 (six weeks if it’s £50,000 or more).
- 30-day rule: your landlord must protect your deposit in an approved scheme and give you the “prescribed information” within 30 days of receiving it.
- Penalty: if they don’t, a court can order them to pay you between one and three times the deposit.
- Holding deposit: you can be asked for up to one week’s rent to reserve a property. If you move in, it goes towards your first rent or deposit. If the landlord pulls out, you get it back.
- Lodgers: if you live with your landlord in their home, your deposit doesn’t have to be protected. More on this below.
What changed with the Renters’ Rights Act?
From 1 May 2026, assured shorthold tenancies were replaced by assured periodic tenancies. Deposit protection still applies to these tenancies in the same way, so the 30-day rule and the five-week cap haven’t changed. Tenancies are now rolling, and you can end yours by giving two months’ notice.
The three approved schemes
In England, your deposit must be protected with one of these:
Each one offers either a custodial option (the scheme holds the money) or an insured option (the landlord or agent holds it and pays to insure it). Either way, you can use the scheme’s free dispute service at the end of the tenancy.
Not sure your deposit is protected? Each scheme has an online checker. Search all three using your postcode and surname.
What is the “prescribed information”?
It’s a set of details your landlord must give you (and anyone else who paid towards your deposit) within the 30 days. It includes the deposit amount, which scheme protects it, the landlord’s contact details, and how to get the deposit back and dispute any deductions. Keep it with your tenancy agreement.
What can a landlord deduct?
Landlords can only deduct for genuine losses, such as:
- unpaid rent
- damage beyond fair wear and tear
- cleaning needed to return the room to the condition it was in at the start
- missing items from the inventory
They can’t charge for normal wear and tear, like slightly worn carpet after two years, or for improvements.
How to get your full deposit back
When you move in
- Check the inventory carefully and note anything missing or damaged before you sign it.
- Take dated photos and a short video of every wall, the carpet, the mattress and the furniture. Email them to yourself or your landlord so there’s a record of the date.
- Use damage-free hanging strips rather than nails, Blu-Tack or tape. Wall marks are one of the most common deductions.
- Put felt pads under chair and desk legs if the floor is wooden or laminate.
- Use a mattress protector, as stained mattresses are another common deduction.
During the tenancy
- Report repairs in writing (email or text) and keep copies.
- Deal with condensation early so mould doesn’t build up. See our guide on damp and mould in a rented room.
When you move out
- Do a proper end-of-tenancy clean. The oven is the area most often picked up. An oven cleaning kit and a few magic eraser sponges for scuff marks are cheap compared with a cleaning charge.
- Take a fresh set of photos and video once everything is clean and empty.
- Return all keys and get a receipt.
- Give a forwarding address in writing.
If you don’t agree with deductions
- Ask your landlord in writing to explain each deduction, with evidence.
- Once you’ve agreed the amount, it should be returned within 10 days.
- If you can’t agree, raise a dispute with the scheme protecting your deposit. Their adjudication service is free, and both sides send in evidence. This is where your move-in and move-out photos really matter.
Holding deposits
- If you move in: it must be put towards your first month’s rent or your deposit.
- If the landlord pulls out: you must get it back in full.
- The landlord can only keep it if you pull out, fail a Right to Rent check, or gave false information that affects whether they’d rent to you.
Don’t hand over a holding deposit before you’ve seen the room. Read our guide to avoiding rental scams.
Lodgers: different rules
If you rent a room in your landlord’s own home and share facilities like the kitchen or bathroom with them, you’re usually a lodger, not a tenant. Lodgers’ deposits don’t have to be protected in a scheme, and the Renters’ Rights Act changes don’t apply. Your landlord can still only make reasonable deductions, and you can use the small claims court if they won’t return it. Always get a written agreement and a receipt for any deposit you pay.
Deposits paid by someone else
If a parent, guarantor or a council rent deposit scheme pays your deposit, it must still be protected, and they should also receive the prescribed information.