Deposit Protection Scheme

Why it matters

What Deposit Protection Scheme means for a landlord

Deposit protection is one of the most litigated duties in letting because the sanction is both financial and procedural. A tenant can claim one to three times the deposit, and since 1 May 2026 a court cannot make a possession order on any ground except 7A or 14 while the deposit rules have not been met. The 30 days run from the date the money is received, not from the start of the tenancy, so a deposit taken two weeks before move-in has less time than it seems. A landlord using an agent should keep their own record of the receipt and protection dates, because the liability stays with the landlord.

Worked example

How it plays out

Common mistakes

Where landlords go wrong

1. 01Counting the 30 days from the tenancy start date instead of the day the deposit was received.
2. 02Protecting the deposit on time but sending the prescribed information late: both have a 30-day deadline.
3. 03Relying on a letting agent without written confirmation of when the deposit was protected and the information sent.
4. 04Taking a deposit in cash with no receipt, so the date it was received cannot be shown.

What to do

A short checklist

• Check each deposit’s protection date against the date it reached your bank account.
• Protect new deposits within a week, not on day 30.
• Send the certificate and prescribed information together and keep proof of sending.
• Ask any agent for written confirmation of protection dates.