Why it matters
What Prescribed Information means for a landlord
Prescribed Information is the deposit-dispute trip-wire. Many landlords protect the deposit on time, serve the tenancy agreement on time, and then forget the separate PI document, which is a standalone breach attracting 1–3× the deposit as a tenant-led penalty. Keep a single "deposit pack" PDF that bundles the certificate, scheme leaflet and signed PI and issue it in one email to make the serve-date easy to prove.
Worked example
How it plays out
Jack protects a £1,000 deposit for a flat in Coventry on the 12th day after receiving it, but forgets to send the prescribed information until day 38. When the tenancy ends 14 months later, the tenant makes a claim. The court must order Jack to pay between one and three times the deposit, £1,000 to £3,000, even though the money itself was protected on time.
Common mistakes
Where landlords go wrong
- 01Treating deposit protection and the prescribed information as one step, when each has its own 30-day deadline.
- 02Sending a link to the scheme’s website instead of the prescribed information itself.
- 03Not signing the landlord’s confirmation that the information is accurate.
- 04Having no proof of when the information was sent.
What to do
A short checklist
- Build a single PDF "deposit pack" containing the certificate, scheme leaflet and signed Prescribed Information form.
- Email the deposit pack to every new tenant within 30 days of receipt and store the sent email.
- Audit your last 12 months of tenancy starts and re-serve any PI you cannot prove was issued.
- Set a 28-day diary alarm at every new deposit receipt to force the PI service before the cap.
Sources
Checked against these sources on 16 September 2026. A guide to the rules in England, not legal advice: for a dispute or a possession claim, speak to a solicitor.
