Tenancy deposit dispute solicitors in Leicester

Most deposit disputes are about deductions at the end of a tenancy. A smaller number are about landlords who didn’t protect the deposit at all.

Deposit protection

For assured shorthold tenancies (and now the assured tenancies replacing them), a landlord who takes a deposit must protect it in a government-approved scheme and give the tenant the prescribed information within a set time of receiving it, usually 30 days. If they don’t, the tenant can claim the deposit back plus a penalty of one to three times its value, and the landlord’s ability to recover possession is restricted.

Disputes over deductions

The fair approach is to compare the property’s condition at the end with the check-in inventory, allowing for fair wear and tear given the length of the tenancy. Evidence is everything: inventories, photos, cleaning receipts and correspondence.

Each scheme offers free dispute resolution, where an adjudicator decides on the written evidence. It’s usually quicker and cheaper than court. If one side won’t use it, a claim can be made in the small claims track.

Getting advice

Most deduction disputes are small and don’t justify solicitors’ fees. Protection claims can be worth more, and landlords defending one or tenants bringing one may benefit from advice, particularly where there have been several tenancies or renewals with the same deposit.

Common questions