Tenancy Deposit Claims
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Did your landlord fail to protect your deposit?
Landlords have a responsibility to protect the deposit of tenants who rent under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) agreement. They need to do this within 30 days of receiving the deposit, using one of the three government-approved protection schemes.
If a landlord fails to protect your deposit correctly and on time, you might be entitled to compensation. This compensation can be up to three times the value of the deposit if you’ve already left the property or four times if you haven’t yet received your deposit.
If your tenancy has been renewed but your landlord still fails to protect your deposit, you may be entitled to bring additional claims and seek additional compensation.
Government-approved Schemes
These schemes are authorised by the government and are the only schemes your landlord can use to protect your deposit.
If you started or renewed your tenancy in the past 6 years and your deposit wasn’t protected using one of the schemes mentioned above, you have the right to make a claim. Additionally, you can make further claims for any subsequent breaches.
Who qualifies for a tenancy deposit claim?
When you sign an assured shorthold tenancy agreement, your landlord will request a deposit. This deposit cannot exceed the cost of 5 weeks’ rent. After receiving the deposit, your landlord has 30 days to protect it using one of the three approved schemes. Once the money is safeguarded, your landlord must notify you where the deposit is being held and provide a reference number for the account. This ensures that your deposit remains secure throughout your tenancy and that your landlord cannot make any unreasonable deductions.
Your landlord is only permitted to access your deposit and make deductions under specific conditions. To do this they must inform you beforehand and provide evidence that the deduction is reasonable. Should your landlord neglect to do so, you have the option to bring a claim. You do not need to still be a tenant to do so.
You can claim if:
- You know or believe your deposit was not protected
- You were not issued details of the deposit protection scheme used
- Your landlord didn’t protect your deposit within 30 days
- You have since ended your contract, but your deposit has not been returned
How much compensation can I get for a tenancy deposit dispute?
Awards for tenancy deposit dispute cases can reach up to three times the deposit amount. This means a £500 deposit could be worth £1500, plus a refund of the initial £500 deposit.
If your tenancy has been renewed but your deposit still wasn’t protected, you can claim for each renewal. This further increases the amount of compensation you could receive.
Do I have to pay anything upfront?
No, at reClaimme we operate tenancy deposit claims on a no-win, no-fee basis. This means you have nothing to pay unless and until you are successful. If your case is unsuccessful, you won’t pay us a penny.
Our fees are recovered from the defendant (your landlord) when we win, along with a modest success fee from your compensation. This gives more people access to justice without worrying about funding what could otherwise be an expensive legal case.
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