What exactly is housing disrepair?
There is a requirement for all Landlords to protect tenancy deposits, with one of the three Government backed protection schemes within 30 days of receiving the deposit.
You may be able to make a tenancy deposit compensation claim if your current or previous Landlord failed to return your deposit in whole or in part – without good cause to do so or if they have failed to protect your deposit or failedto provide you with the relevant prescribed information.
What is and is not good cause for my Landlord to keep all or part of my deposit?Â
Your Landlord can have cause to retain the deposit if you have breached your tenancy in any way, such as:Â
- Failed to pay rent
- Damaged the property
- Lost items from the property inventory
However, they cannot retain the deposit for things such as wear and tear or for repairs which are their responsibility.
Steps your Landlord is Required to Take: -
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- Pay your rental deposit into one of the three government approved and backed tenancy deposit protection schemes
- They must inform you which of the schemes it has been paid into and provide you with information on the scheme
- They must do the above within thirty days of you paying your deposit
If the above has not been completed, you could make a claim for compensation and claim between one and three times your original deposit.
What is a Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme?
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A deposit is usually paid when you rent a property or a room within shared accommodation. This is usually to protect the Landlord in circumstances where rent is not paid, or the property is damaged by the tenants. There are three schemes your Landlord can place your deposit into: -
- Tenancy Deposit Scheme
- MyDeposits
- Deposit Protection Service
If the deposit is not paid into one of these schemes, they must have insurance in place to ensure your deposit is protected for the duration of the tenancy.
If your Landlord has not followed the above procedure, then you may have a claim for compensation. Call us on 0161 637 8588 to discuss.
