How to get all of your deposit back at the end of your tenancy

The issue of getting your deposit back at the end of a tenancy can often be quite difficult. In some cases you may have a good relationship with your landlord and there is little or no dispute about you getting the whole of your deposit back at the end of your stay. However, for many people this is not the case. 

Perhaps your landlord had forgotten about the state of the carpets at the beginning of your tenancy, and now wants to use your deposit money to refurbish and sort out the ‘wear and tear’ that he or she believes you have inflicted upon their property. In these sorts of instances, it is the deposit protection scheme, introduced in 2007, which protects your money and may help in resolving matters more quickly and without going to court.

In order to avoid disputes and arguments with your landlord in the first place, it is essential to take photographs of absolutely everything at the beginning of your tenancy. Even if you're just renting a Leicestershire flat, once you have these photos you should send them along with the inventory to your landlord, so that they have a copy too. These photos can be lifesavers in situations where your landlord may accuse you of damage to their property, only for it to have been there for the whole of your stay and have nothing to do with you.

Another important point, although it may be obvious, is to make sure that the inventory is done correctly and that every detail has been recorded correctly. These are perhaps the most important things when taking proactive measures to try to reduce the chance of any disagreement with your landlord when you vacate the property.

As well as proactive action at the beginning of your tenancy, you should also make sure you keep the house fairly clean while you’re living there. Keeping the property clean will make it much easier for you when you move out, so that you are not faced with a year’s worth of dirt and dust to clean on move out day, and this will reduce the chances of wear and tear on the property.

You may also want to think twice before putting up any posters or picture hooks too, as this may be prohibited in your tenancy agreement. If you do, make sure to repaint or fill in any damage to the surfaces, as this will work out far cheaper than your landlord charging you some of your deposit to rectify this damage after you move out.

On the whole; if you stick within the rules of your tenancy agreement, maintain the property, which may also include the garden, do not cause any costly damage, and pay your rent and bills, then you should not find it too difficult to get the whole of your deposit back at the end of your stay. This process will also be made much easier if the inventory is conducted properly at the beginning of your stay and you take photographic evidence of the property, which you can use should any disputes arise.

Thanks to the deposit protection scheme, tenants are now in a much better position for keeping their deposit, providing they comply with their tenancy agreement, and are no longer at the mercy of wayward landlords.