How Long Does a Landlord Have to Protect a Deposit?
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Landlords must protect a tenant's deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it. You must also provide the tenant with prescribed information about the protection within the same 30-day period.
Getting deposit protection right is critical. Miss the deadline and you lose the ability to serve a Section 21 notice—plus tenants can claim compensation.
How long do I have to protect a deposit?
30 days from the date you receive the deposit money. The clock starts when the payment clears into your account or when you receive cash.
This is a strict deadline. 31 days is too late. The 30-day requirement applies to:
- Registering the deposit with an approved scheme
- Serving prescribed information on the tenant
When does the 30 days start?
The 30-day period begins when you receive the deposit money—not when the tenancy starts. If you receive the deposit a week before move-in, the clock is already running.
What if I miss the deadline?
Missing the 30-day deadline has serious consequences. You cannot serve a valid Section 21 notice, and the tenant can claim 1-3 times the deposit amount in court.
- Section 21 blocked: Cannot evict using no-fault route
- Compensation claim: Tenant can claim 1-3x deposit
- Full return required: Must return deposit in full regardless of damage
Frequently asked questions
Can I protect the deposit late?
You can protect it late, but this doesn't fix the historic breach. The tenant can still claim compensation, and you may still have Section 21 issues depending on when you eventually protected it.
Which scheme should I use?
Three government-approved schemes: DPS (custodial, free), TDS (custodial or insured), MyDeposits (custodial or insured). Custodial schemes hold the money; insured schemes let you keep it but charge a fee.
Managing this yourself?
LandlordOS helps UK landlords stay compliant and organised:
- Automatic compliance reminders for Gas Safety, EICR, EPC
- Document storage with AI-powered certificate reading
- Tenancy tracking and rent management
LandlordOS tip
Protect the deposit the day you receive it—don't wait. Set a calendar reminder for 7 days before the deadline as a backup. The consequences of missing the deadline far outweigh any benefit of delaying.