Tenancy Deposit scheme - information for landlords

If you rent a home to a private tenant, you can ask them to pay a deposit. Under the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, a landlord must protect their tenant's money in an approved scheme.

Tenancy deposits

A landlord can ask a tenant to pay a deposit at the start of a private tenancy. This money is for:

protection against damage to the property
unpaid rent
Tenancy deposit scheme

Tenancy Deposit Scheme Providers

Any deposit given to a private landlord or a letting agent must be protected in an approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme within 28 days of receiving the deposit.

All deposits must be held in special bank accounts, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, to make sure the deposit is safe in case the scheme fails.

The appointed two approved scheme administrators are:

When a landlord has protected the deposit they must give their tenant written information about the tenancy within 35 days.

The information must include:

details of the deposit amount protected in an approved scheme
the full tenancy address
the landlord's and any agent's name, address and contact details
the name and contact details of the scheme protecting the deposit including how the tenant can let the scheme know about a disagreement over the return of the deposit
the reasons why part or all of the deposit might be withheld at the end of the tenancy
what happens when the tenant cannot be contacted at the end of the tenancy

Landlords living outside Northern Ireland who take a deposit for a private tenancy in Northern Ireland must still follow the law.

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Tenancy Deposit scheme - information for landlords