For owners
Deposits, protected by the book.
Guidance on protecting your tenant’s deposit with a government-approved scheme — what the law expects, and the steps to stay compliant.
How it works
The compliance path
Know the requirement
Most assured shorthold tenancy deposits in England must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receipt.
Choose a scheme
Pick a custodian or insurance-based scheme (for example DPS, mydeposits or TDS). We’ll point you to the official registration routes.
Serve the prescribed information
The tenant must receive the scheme’s prescribed information within the deadline. Our checklist shows what to send and when.
Record it with the listing
Log which scheme and reference applies to the tenancy, so the record is ready if questions arise later.
Good to know
What we do — and don’t do
Guidance, not handling
We explain the steps and point to official schemes. We never hold, transfer or protect deposits ourselves.
Deadline awareness
The 30-day rule trips up first-time owners most often. Our checklist builds the dates in.
Dispute readiness
Good records at the start are what settle disputes at the end. The inventory template is your best friend.
Deposit guidance is general information, not legal advice. Scheme rules and legal requirements change — confirm details with the scheme and, where needed, a professional adviser.
FAQ
Common questions
Do you hold the deposit?
No. We never handle tenant money. Deposits are protected directly with a government-approved scheme by the owner.
Which scheme should I use?
The official schemes in England are DPS, mydeposits and TDS. Each publishes its own fees and process; our guidance links to their official sites.
What happens if I miss the 30-day window?
That can expose an owner to penalties and affect possession claims. Take professional advice promptly if it has happened; we can explain the general framework but not act for you.
Does this apply to lodgers?
Lodger arrangements are different — a deposit taken for a lodger in your own home generally doesn’t require scheme protection, but the guidance covers when this does and doesn’t apply.
Protect the deposit properly.
The compliance checklist is included with owner packages — ask us for the current version.