What if my deposit is not protected?
If you’ve checked here and the schemes can confirm your deposit isn’t protected, you can:
- Write to your landlord. Here’s some sample letters to help you out.
- Consider making a court claim if you don’t get a response or are not happy with what they’ve said.
You can also take your landlord to court:
- If your deposit is not protected within 30 days of it being paid, and/or
- Your landlord does not provide you with certain information within 30 days of signing your contract. This includes the deposit scheme being used, a certificate showing protection and how much deposit is being protected.
If you win the case, the court can order your landlord to:
- Give you your deposit back or put it in a protection scheme, and
- Pay you a fine between 1-3 times the amount of the deposit
- Restrict the steps your landlord can take to evict you while the deposit is protected
LUU Advice can help with:
- Advising you about your rights and the pros and cons of going to court
- Negotiating with your landlord if your deposit is not protected
- Making a claim in the county court