Tenancy Deposit Demand Letter

#When to Use This

Use this letter if your landlord:

• Did NOT protect your deposit in a government-approved scheme, OR
• Did NOT give you the "prescribed information" within 30 days, OR
• Protected it late (after 30 days from receiving it)

You may be entitled to compensation of 1-3x your deposit amount.

#Before You Send

✅ Check all three schemes to confirm it wasn't protected:

• TDS – tenancydepositscheme.com
• DPS – depositprotection.com
• MyDeposits – mydeposits.co.uk

✅ Gather your tenancy agreement

✅ Note when you paid the deposit and how much

✅ Check if you received prescribed information

#Template Letter

[Your Name]
[Your Current Address]
[City, Postcode]
[Your Email] | [Your Phone Number]
[Date]

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[Landlord's Name]
[Landlord's Address]
[City, Postcode]

Subject: Formal Demand – Failure to Protect Tenancy Deposit
Property Address: [Address of the rented property]

Dear [Landlord's Name],

I am writing regarding my tenancy deposit for the above property. I believe you have failed to comply with your legal obligations under the Housing Act 2004, and I am writing to demand compensation.

#Background

• Tenancy start date: [Date]
• Deposit amount: £[Amount]
• Deposit paid on: [Date]
• Tenancy end date: [Date, or "ongoing" if still a tenant]

#The Legal Requirements

Under sections 213-215 of the Housing Act 2004, landlords of assured shorthold tenancies in England must:

1. Protect the deposit in a government-authorised scheme within 30 days of receiving it
2. Provide prescribed information to the tenant within 30 days, including:
   • Which scheme protects the deposit
   • The scheme's contact details
   • How to apply for release of the deposit
   • What to do if there's a dispute

#Your Failure to Comply

[Select the applicable option(s):]

Option A – Deposit Not Protected:

I have checked all three government-approved deposit protection schemes (TDS, DPS, and MyDeposits) and can confirm that my deposit was NOT protected at any point during my tenancy.

Option B – Deposit Protected Late:

My deposit was not protected within the required 30-day period. It was received on [date] but not protected until [date] – a delay of [X] days.

Option C – Prescribed Information Not Provided:

I did not receive the prescribed information within 30 days of paying my deposit. [Or: I never received the prescribed information at all.]

#My Entitlement

Under section 214 of the Housing Act 2004, where a landlord fails to comply with deposit protection requirements, the court must order the landlord to:

1. Return the deposit to the tenant, AND
2. Pay compensation of between 1 and 3 times the deposit amount

Based on my deposit of £[Amount], I am entitled to compensation of between £[1x amount] and £[3x amount].

#What I Am Seeking

To resolve this matter without court proceedings, I am seeking:

1. Return of my full deposit: £[Amount]
2. Compensation: £[Amount] (being [1x/2x/3x] the deposit)
3. Total: £[Total Amount]

#Deadline

Please respond to this letter within 14 days with:

• Payment of the amounts above, OR
• Your proposals for settlement

If I do not receive a satisfactory response, I will issue proceedings in the County Court without further notice.

#Payment Details

Please make payment to:

• Bank: [Bank Name]
• Sort Code: [XX-XX-XX]
• Account Number: [XXXXXXXX]
• Reference: [Your surname – Deposit Claim]

Or send a cheque payable to [Your Name] to my address above.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]

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Enclosed:

• Copy of tenancy agreement
• Evidence of deposit payment
• Screenshots from deposit scheme searches (showing not protected)

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#After Sending

#How Much Compensation?

Courts typically award:

Circumstances	Usual Award
Innocent mistake, quickly remedied	1x deposit
Careless landlord, no excuse	2x deposit
Deliberate non-compliance, repeat offender	3x deposit