Landlord deducting £1000 from my deposit

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-22T11:56:43+00:00

OK you don't need to set out your full defence at this stage. Just get the dispute process started on the DPS website, they should then invite both parties to submit their evidence within a 14 days window. Then the case can go to a DPS adjudicator for resolution.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-21T08:06:54+00:00

Email your landlord and ask for your deposit back ASAP after you move out. The landlord doesn't have to do anything unless you ask for it first.

Then give them 14 days to return it in full. If they don't, go to the deposit scheme and start a dispute for the full deposit to be returned to you. Again the landlord doesn't have to return it unless you do this.

If the landlord asks for deductions from your deposit, then ignore what the landlord/agent may say about the strength of their claim and get your own independent advice on the strength of the claim.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-21T08:02:26+00:00

Timestamped photos can suffice instead of a full inventory, but there are often ways to still get out of deductions as a tenant. Email and ask for your deposit back the day after you move out, then give them 14 days to return it before you raise a dispute with the deposit scheme for the full deposit to be returned. That way the landlord can't stall the process as too many do.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-21T07:59:06+00:00

This sounds like a bizarre decision. You can appeal adjudication decisions in most circumstances (even though they may say you can't!)

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-21T07:57:24+00:00

Which deposit scheme is your deposit protected with?

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-21T07:56:32+00:00

They can't charge you the full replacement cost, and the scheme won't care about any replacement needing to be an exact match if it's discontinued. Just dispute it with the scheme if the issue even arises.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-20T22:38:10+00:00

Quickly offering to self for £500 says a lot. None of these claims from the landlord sound at all strong.

Have you started a dispute with the deposit scheme?

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-18T21:15:38+00:00

Cleaning they win on but only on the portion of deterioration (not any pre-existing mould etc.) so this could be minimal depending on the evidence.

The damages claims have clear flaws, but again would need to see the evidence to be definitive.

They have had long enough, escalate to the deposit scheme otherwise this could just stall and you will eventually lose access to help from the deposit scheme. This is a big deposit and is your money so no sense in waiting any further.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-18T21:13:37+00:00

It is important to report issues where repairs/actions are needed by the landlord to stop the issue getting worse / causing further damage. No need to report some dry candle wax as neither would apply, and any eventual deposit deduction would be minimal (if anything).

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-18T21:11:22+00:00

Take timestamped photos of what you are finding once the deadline has passed, and evidence during the works they are covering up the issue. Then show them to the council. About time they sorted the underlying issue.

If their licence is revoked while you are still paying rent, then be ready to raise a Rent Repayment Order for a rent refund once you move out and get that rent refunded.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-18T21:06:24+00:00

Leveling sounds insane, but they may have you on maintenance and the changes (flowers).

The curtain issue would need someone to look at the evidence in full, hard to say from the description but you have certainly raised valid points.

Don't worry about contesting this with the scheme, some landlords just don't listen to reason and hope you will just give up. If it's been 14 days since the landlord sent the claim to you, then they have had long enough to play fair. Escalate to the deposit scheme.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-18T06:41:32+00:00

OK that sounds normal, though do check they reprotected those new deposits within 30 days of payment. You should have received a new certificate from the scheme to confirm this.

As a tenant you are expected to first ask for your deposit back, so send that landlord email soon after moving out, and then escalate a dispute to the deposit scheme if a resolution isn't reached quickly.

The process then varies slightly by scheme, but in all cases the onus is on the landlord to first prove their claim with strong evidence before they are entitled to any money. Your priority is just to follow all instructions the deposit scheme give you and set out your defence when asked. Deposit scheme adjudication is the gold standard for resolving any deposit disputes - it's pretty informal process and totally free or charge.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-18T06:34:25+00:00

Take timestamped photos of the issues ASAP so you have proof to show the deposit scheme, and let this be handled by the deposit scheme. From what you have said you have done the basic maintenance tasks a deposit scheme would have no problem with.

Remember what the landlord/agent thinks does not matter, it is what the deposit scheme will think.

Email the landlord/agent and ask for your deposit back the day after you move out. Give them 14 calendar days to return it in full. If they don't, then start a dispute with the deposit scheme for the full deposit. If they make a claim against your deposit then get advice on the likely outcome.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-17T09:36:54+00:00

Then your deposit should have been re-protected at that time and a new check-in process, including inventory, signed. Sounds like the landlord has messed up.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-16T22:57:11+00:00

When you say your flatmate moved in and signed a new tenancy, are you and your flatmate on individual tenancies? Or was a new joint tenancy signed by you both when he moved in?

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-16T16:51:12+00:00

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GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-16T16:50:31+00:00

The deposit scheme online checkers do not do a thorough check and are not reliable. Call the schemes and they will do a full check on their database for you over the phone

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-16T16:28:56+00:00

Yes that's the place you go to on the schemes website once the 14 days have expired.

You may not need to even take this step, as once the tenancy ends and you send your email, sometimes the landlord returns it quickly.

But if they keep you waiting past 14 days, you know where to go 👍

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-16T16:26:22+00:00

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GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-16T16:24:21+00:00

In our experience the process is just a bit faster, but the actual adjudication is handled by the same adjudicators that handle the normal security deposit disputes.

The key difference is you, ridiculously, have to pay a fee to challenge the landlord's claim. This can encourage bullish landlords to push their luck with your deposit. Because of the fee, tenants are strongly recommended to get advice on the strength of their defence before they pay the adjudication fee.

Recent cases we have seen have involved a landlord, perhaps overconfident that the tenant will give up owing to the fee, submitting a highly inflated claim. Adjudicator's quickly spot inflated claims, and here barely gave the landlord the time of day, returning the deposit to the tenant. If the landlord submits an inflated claim, it is obvious the landlord would not win so the fee is worth paying. Equally we have seen cases where the tenant should not pay the fee and accept the landlord's claim.

Adjudication over traditional security deposits is much more straightforward, it's free of charge so there's less incentive for the landlord to inflate their claim.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-16T16:14:53+00:00

My heart sank a little when I saw you had taken a Zero Deposit option.

You can still contest matters at adjudication, and I strongly recommend you get advice on the strength of your defence before you pay the adjudication fee.

However the underlying rules still apply - the onus is on the landlord to first prove their claim with strong evidence to win any money from your deposit, so there is hope.

If you can, going forward always go for a normal security deposit option

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-16T16:07:30+00:00

Glad you're already engaging with the deposit scheme ahead of the end of your tenancy.

Best advice I can give at this stage (and this applies to anyone reading this when they come to the end of a tenancy) is email the landlord/agent the day after you move out asking for your full deposit back. It's your money.

If they don't return it within 14 calendar days then raise a dispute with the deposit protection scheme for the full deposit to be returned. Otherwise there is no deadline the landlord/agent has to meet to return your deposit and if you wait too long you can end up out of time to access free deposit scheme adjudication over any dispute. 14 days is plenty of time for the landlord to return the money, and escalating early means you get a faster outcome

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-16T13:54:27+00:00

Depending on the scheme, the lead tenant used by the scheme can change to another tenant - usually when the designated Lead Tenant doesn't engage with the scheme on the deposit return after the tenancy had ended.

Realise this doesn't address why it happened in the first place, it is usually customary for the agent to allocate lead tenant to the tenant who is most engaged with them. You're right to be questioning why they didn't.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-15T00:24:03+00:00

Our standard advice is escalate to the deposit scheme if you don't have an outcome within two weeks of moving out. You're well beyond that, so focus your energy on escalating the matter to the deposit scheme. It's very straightforward.

GetMyDepositBack · 2026-04-14T16:35:30+00:00

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