Your security deposit is an upfront payment you make when moving into a rental home. The purpose of the deposit is to cover the cost of any damage you might do to the property, or if breaking your rental contract.
When you move out, your deposit is returned to you – minus any payments the landlord has to make for repairs. With many people’s security deposit in the £1000s of pounds, getting it back when they move is understandably a priority.
Here are some of the things you can do when moving in and out to have the best chance of getting all of your security deposit back from your landlord.
Know the law around your security deposit
Your rights regarding your security deposit are protected by UK law. Knowing what these are will make it easier to reclaim your security deposit when you move.
- The maximum deposit your landlord can ask for is up to 5 weeks’ rent if the rent for the year is less than £50,000 OR up to 6 weeks’ rent if the rent for the year is £50,000 or more
- They can also ask for a holding deposit of up to one week’s rent to reserve a property.
- If your tenancy began before 2007 your landlord must put your deposit in an approved tenancy deposit protection scheme.
- Your landlord must return your deposit at the end of your tenancy provided you meet the terms of your tenancy agreement, do not damage the property and pay your rent and bills.
- Otherwise, your landlord can pay their costs towards the property from your deposit but must be able to demonstrate what these expenses were and why they were necessary.
Take photos when you move in and out
You can protect your security deposit by taking photos of the property when you move in and out.
Before you move in any furniture, take photos of any existing damage at the property. Look for scrapes and scuffs, missing hardware or any other damage that might require repair.
When you move out, take photos of the condition of the property, with particular attention to how clean it is.
When your deposit is returned, check for any deductions for cleaning or repairs. Use your photos to check that any repairs weren’t for damage before you moved in and that the level of cleaning shown was actually required.
If not, your photos will make it easier to raise a dispute and get your deposit back. See below for more details on disputing your deposit refund.
End of tenancy cleans to get your deposit back
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 states that landlords cannot require that you hire a professional cleaner at the end of your tenancy, however many movers still choose to.
This is because you must return your property to the same state of cleanliness as when you moved in.
If not, your landlord can hire cleaners themselves using your deposit. These cleaners may be more expensive than you would have chosen.
For end-of-tenancy cleaning, we recommend our partners Housekeep, who also offer a free 2-hour home clean to Please Connect Me users.
How to appeal if you don’t get your security deposit back
If you have problems getting your security deposit back, reach out to the tenancy deposit protection scheme your landlord uses. Your landlord must use an approved scheme and inform you which one they’re using under UK law.
The scheme will be able to guide you in reclaiming your deposit if your landlord cannot be contacted, and with disputing and unfair deductions.
