Hi all. Hope you had good Christmases.

I recently moved out of a rented flat and looking for some advice on getting the deposit money back. I’ve read online that deposits have to be returned within 10 days (or a claim filed to make deductions), but can’t see anything about what happens if it isn’t?

I know there’s a fine of three times the deposit amount if it isn’t put into a deposit protection scheme at the start of the tenancy – is there a similar penalty for not returning it speedily?

To be honest, I don’t want to mess around trying to enforce fines or the like – I just want my money back – but it would be good ammunition if I do have to encourage them to pull their finger out.

Ta!

You should have had confirmation who it was being held with shortly after you paid the deposit. I would just remind the land lord/letting agent, if you get no joy go straight to the deposit holding company. Just be careful and don’t just roll over if they try and deduct anything.

Worked for me when they tried to keep my whole deposit because of “rent arrears and cleaning costs” just submitted my bank statements showing the rent had been paid on time every month and the agents were unable to provide any proof of the supposed cost of cleaning so I got all my money back within a few days of sending this to the desposit company.