The short answer: once you and your landlord agree how much of the deposit you'll get back, your landlord must return it within 10 days (GOV.UK). If you don't agree, the disputed amount stays protected in the scheme until the disagreement is sorted out. How the rest works depends on which scheme protects your deposit and whether it is custodial or insured.
This is general information, not legal advice. Your tenancy agreement and your scheme's own rules matter. Check the linked official sources, or speak to Citizens Advice, Shelter or a solicitor about your situation.
First: your deposit should have been protected
If you rent on an assured periodic tenancy in England (these replaced assured shorthold tenancies on 1 May 2026), your landlord must put your deposit in a government-approved scheme. In England and Wales, those schemes are the Deposit Protection Service (DPS), mydeposits and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) (GOV.UK).
Two 30-day rules apply:
- Protection: the landlord must meet the scheme's initial requirements within 30 days of receiving the deposit (Housing Act 2004, s. 213(3)).
- Prescribed information: within the same 30 days, the landlord must give you set information (s. 213(5)–(6)). GOV.UK lists what it covers, including the scheme's name and contact details, its dispute resolution service, why the landlord might keep some or all of the deposit, how to apply to get it back, and what to do if you can't reach the landlord at the end of the tenancy (GOV.UK).
That information matters at the end, because it tells you which scheme to contact. If you're not sure your deposit was protected, you can contact the schemes to check (GOV.UK). Our guide to tenancy deposit schemes explains the differences.
If it wasn't protected, you can apply to the county court. If the court finds the rules weren't followed, it must order the landlord to pay you not less than the deposit amount and not more than three times the amount, within 14 days (s. 214(4)). GOV.UK gives the application form (N208) and the court fee, which was £387 when we checked (GOV.UK). See what to do if your deposit isn't protected, then read the court process for tenancy deposit disputes before filing anything.
Custodial or insured: why it matters
- Custodial: the scheme holds the money during the tenancy.
- Insured: the landlord or agent holds it, and must pass the disputed amount to the scheme if there's a dispute.
These are TDS's descriptions, and the same model applies across the schemes (TDS). Your prescribed information or deposit certificate should show which type you have.
The timeline at the end of the tenancy
Step 1: agree, or say what you don't agree with
Ask your landlord or agent, in writing, whether they plan to make deductions and why. The schemes expect both sides to try to settle it themselves first (TDS Insured dispute rules, 12th edition, rule 4.1). If some of the deposit isn't in dispute, ask for that part to be paid.
Step 2: the 10-day rule once you agree
When you both agree the amount, GOV.UK says the landlord must return your deposit within 10 days of that agreement (GOV.UK). For custodial schemes, the law requires the scheme to pay the agreed amount within 10 days of being told about the agreement (Housing Act 2004, Sch. 10, para. 4(3)).
For insured schemes, the law works from your request. If you've asked your landlord for the deposit and it hasn't been repaid within 10 days of the request, you can tell the scheme (Sch. 10, para. 6(2)). The scheme then directs the landlord to pay the outstanding amount to it.
Step 3: what each scheme publishes
| Scheme | Getting the deposit back | Raising a dispute (time limit) |
|---|---|---|
| DPS custodial | Start repayment online. DPS says it pays money due within 7 working days once you and your landlord have confirmed how it should be repaid (DPS). If your landlord makes a claim and you agree, DPS says it pays as requested within two business days (DPS). | If you disagree with your landlord's claim, the case goes to DPS's free Dispute Resolution Service (DPS). We didn't find a specific deadline on the DPS tenant pages we checked, so contact DPS promptly. |
| DPS insured | Agree with your landlord, who holds the money. If you can't agree, notify DPS (DPS). | Disputed Amount Confirmation Form (confirming you asked for repayment and it wasn't made within 10 calendar days) must reach DPS within 90 days of the end of the tenancy (DPS insured terms, May 2026). |
| mydeposits insured | Formally request your deposit from the landlord or agent and allow 10 calendar days to pass (mydeposits). | Within three calendar months of moving out, or of the deposit becoming unprotected, whichever is sooner (mydeposits). |
| mydeposits custodial | Negotiate through the online release process (mydeposits). | You can start resolution within 90 days of the release being started (mydeposits). |
| TDS insured | The landlord should return the deposit within 10 days of your first request, after the tenancy has ended (TDS). | No sooner than 10 days and no later than 3 months after the tenancy lawfully ended (TDS Insured rules, 4.1). |
| TDS custodial | Log in and request repayment. The landlord is invited to respond within 30 working days (TDS). If they agree, TDS says repayment is usually within 5 working days (TDS). | If the landlord disagrees, they send an alternative repayment request and you're invited to respond within 30 working days (TDS). A disagreement that remains can go to TDS's free dispute resolution (TDS custodial dispute rules). We didn't find a single fixed deadline in the custodial rules we checked, so contact TDS promptly. |
Scheme procedures change, so check your own scheme's current guidance. GOV.UK's advice is simple: "There may be a limit on the time you have to raise a dispute. Contact the TDP scheme as soon as possible" (GOV.UK).
If you can't agree: free dispute resolution
Each scheme offers a free dispute resolution service. You don't have to use it, but if you do, both you and the landlord must agree to it. You'll both be asked for evidence, and the decision will be final (GOV.UK). The adjudicator decides on the evidence sent in, and it is for the landlord to support any deduction (DPS).
How long it takes, according to each scheme:
- DPS: both sides have 14 calendar days to submit evidence. DPS aims to resolve most disputes within 15 days of the adjudicator receiving the case, and says some cases take longer (DPS). Elsewhere it says it "can take up to seven weeks to reach an outcome" (DPS).
- mydeposits: after you raise a dispute, you have up to 10 working days to add evidence. The landlord then has 20 working days to submit theirs, and within the first 10 must lodge the disputed amount and confirm whether they'll use the dispute service or the courts (mydeposits).
- TDS: each side is asked for evidence within 5 working days, the adjudicator's decision is completed within 15 business days, and payment follows within 1 working day of the decision (TDS Insured rules). TDS also says that once all evidence is in, adjudication is "typically resolved within 28 calendar days" (TDS).
These are the schemes' own targets and estimates, not fixed promises. For more on how adjudication works, see the deposit dispute resolution service. If most of the disagreement is about worn carpets or tired paint, our guide to fair wear and tear explains how adjudicators approach it.
If you can't reach your landlord
You can raise a dispute with the scheme if you can't contact your landlord (GOV.UK). For custodial schemes, the law also has a route for one side to claim alone. It can be used once at least 14 days have passed since the tenancy ended, if the other side can't be contacted or hasn't answered a written notice within 14 days. It needs a statutory declaration (Housing Act 2004, Sch. 10, paras. 4A–4B). If your landlord simply isn't responding, see what to do if your landlord won't return your deposit.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
In Wales, deposits paid under an occupation contract must be dealt with under an authorised deposit scheme. The landlord must meet the scheme's initial requirements and give you the required information within 30 days (Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, s. 45). If they don't, the county court can order the deposit to be repaid or paid into a custodial scheme, and a further payment of between one and three times the deposit (Sch. 5, para. 2, which covers contracts that haven't ended). GOV.UK lists the same three schemes for England and Wales (GOV.UK).
Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate schemes and rules (GOV.UK). This guide doesn't cover them. For Scotland, see tenancy deposit schemes in Scotland.
How to keep things moving
1. Find your prescribed information so you know the scheme, the deposit reference and whether it's custodial or insured. 2. Put your request in writing and note the date. Several of the timescales above run from your request. 3. Keep your check-in and check-out records together: inventory, dated photos, messages and receipts. The move-out checklist and our end of tenancy checklist cover the last few weeks. If you're just starting a tenancy, use the move-in checklist or our rental inventory checklist. 4. Diary the dispute deadline for your scheme, counting from the end of the tenancy or the date you moved out. 5. Ask for the undisputed part to be paid while the rest is resolved.
Put it in writing
If you disagree with a deduction, or the deposit has not come back, reply in writing, one charge at a time. Our free deposit letter can help: choose England and Wales, list each charge you dispute and why, and it writes a polite, dated letter asking for the money or for the check-in inventory and receipts, and saying you will use your scheme's free dispute service if you cannot agree. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Where RentSeal fits
The deposit scheme holds the money. RentSeal holds the evidence. RentSeal is not one of the government-approved schemes and isn't connected to them, and it doesn't change any of the timescales above. What it gives you is an organised, dated record: check-in photos organised by room, issues logged with dates, and an evidence pack you can export as a PDF or share as a read-only link if your deposit is ever disputed. That makes a deduction list easy to review rather than easy to dispute.
Sources
- GOV.UK, "Tenancy deposit protection" (all parts): https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Housing Act 2004, section 213, legislation.gov.uk: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/34/section/213 (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Housing Act 2004, section 214, legislation.gov.uk: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/34/section/214 (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Housing Act 2004, Schedule 10, legislation.gov.uk: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/34/schedule/10 (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, section 45 and Schedule 5, legislation.gov.uk: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2016/1/section/45 and https://www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2016/1/schedule/5 (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Deposit Protection Service, "Starting deposit repayment": https://www.depositprotection.com/tenants/repayments/starting-deposit-repayment (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Deposit Protection Service, "Tenant dispute resolution process": https://www.depositprotection.com/claims-and-disputes-for-tenants/tenant-dispute-resolution-process (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Deposit Protection Service, "How long does dispute resolution take?": https://www.depositprotection.com/claims-and-disputes-for-tenants/how-long-does-dispute-resolution-take (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Deposit Protection Service, "Reviewing a claim": https://www.depositprotection.com/claims-and-disputes-for-tenants/reviewing-a-claim (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Deposit Protection Service, "Common dispute questions": https://www.depositprotection.com/learning-centre/disputes/common-dispute-questions (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Deposit Protection Service, Insured Terms and Conditions (May 2026, V30): https://www.depositprotection.com/documents/insured_terms_and_conditions.pdf (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- mydeposits, "Raise a dispute": https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/raise-a-dispute/ (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- mydeposits, "Deposit dispute process": https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/deposit-dispute-process/ (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Tenancy Deposit Scheme, "#AskTDS: When should my landlord return my deposit?": https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/Ask-TDS-When-should-my-landlord-return-my-deposit (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Tenancy Deposit Scheme, "How to get your deposit back" (custodial guide): https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/How-to-get-your-deposit-back-May-2025-v1 (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Tenancy Deposit Scheme, Insured dispute rules, 12th edition, effective 1 May 2026: https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/TDS-Insured-Rules-for-the-Independent-Resolution-of-Tenancy-Deposit-Disputes-Updated-April-2025-v1 (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Tenancy Deposit Scheme, Custodial dispute rules, 4th edition, effective 1 May 2026: https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/TDS-Custodial-Rules-for-the-Independent-Resolution-of-Tenancy-Deposit-Disputes-Updated-April-2025-v1 (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
- Tenancy Deposit Scheme, "What tenants need to know about challenging deposit deductions": https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/What-tenants-need-to-know-about-challenging-deposit-deductions-ew (Last checked: 28 September 2026)
Before you act
This is general information, not legal advice. Laws, court fees and scheme procedures change, and your tenancy agreement matters. For your situation, check the linked official sources or speak to Citizens Advice, Shelter or a solicitor.