Deposit deductions in England: the records that support your side

Deposits must be protected within 30 days and returned within 10 days of agreeing the amount. Here is what landlords in England should keep on file before the tenancy ends.

Most deposit disagreements are not about the law. They are about what the property looked like on the day the tenant moved in, and what it looks like now. Whoever has the clearer record is usually in the stronger position.

Quick answer: what records support a deposit deduction in England? If a deposit deduction in England is disputed and you use your scheme's free dispute resolution service, you and the tenant will both be asked to provide evidence. These records can help support your side: 1. Signed tenancy agreement: showing the agreed deposit clauses and permitted deduction reasons. 2. Deposit protection records: proof the deposit was protected, and the required information given to tenants, within 30 days. 3. Check-in inventory: detailed schedule of condition and cleanliness signed or agreed at move-in. 4. Check-out inventory: comparative inspection report with dated photographs taken at tenancy end. 5. Itemised invoices or receipts: evidence of actual repair or replacement costs. 6. Complete rent ledger: showing payment dates, amounts due and outstanding balances if claiming rent arrears.

The rules in brief (England)

If you take a deposit, you (or your letting agent) must put it in a government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme within 30 days of receiving it.
In England there are three schemes: the Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
At the end of the tenancy, the deposit must be returned within 10 days of you and the tenant agreeing how much they get back.
If you disagree, the deposit stays protected in the scheme until the issue is settled. If you use an "insured" scheme, you or your agent must hand the deposit to the scheme while the dispute is resolved.
A holding deposit does not need protecting — but once the person becomes your tenant it becomes a deposit, and it must be.
The rules apply even if someone else pays the deposit, such as a rent deposit scheme or the tenant's parents.

If you do not protect the deposit

Your tenants can apply to a county court at any time during the tenancy. If the court finds you have not protected the deposit, it can order you to repay it to your tenants, or pay it into a custodial scheme's bank account within 14 days. It may also order you to pay your tenants up to 3 times the original deposit within 14 days, and it may decide your tenants do not have to leave the property when the tenancy ends. Protecting the deposit on time, and keeping proof that you did, is the first record to get right.

Information you must give your tenants within 30 days

Within 30 days of getting the deposit, GOV.UK says you must tell your tenants: - the address of the rented property - how much deposit they've paid - how the deposit is protected - the name and contact details of the tenancy deposit protection (TDP) scheme and its dispute resolution service - your (or your letting agency's) name and contact details - the name and contact details of any third party who paid the deposit - why you would keep some or all of the deposit – for example, because your tenants damaged the property and you need to fix it - how to apply to get the deposit back at the end of the tenancy - what to do if they cannot get hold of you at the end of the tenancy - what to do if there's a dispute over the amount of deposit to be returned at the end of the tenancy

Record-keeping tip: Keep a dated record of when and how you gave tenants this information, alongside your deposit protection certificate.

Pet damage

GOV.UK confirms you can keep money from the deposit to cover repairs caused by pet damage. You cannot claim for the same damage twice — for example, claiming on insurance and also deducting it from the deposit. GOV.UK warns that doing so may be fraud.

What to keep, from day one

The evidence that supports a deduction is mostly created at the start of the tenancy, not the end:

1. The date you received the deposit and the date you protected it — so you can show the 30-day deadline was met. 2. A check-in inventory with dated photos, room by room, ideally signed or acknowledged by the tenant. 3. Repair and maintenance history during the tenancy — so wear that was reported and fixed is not mistaken for damage. 4. A check-out record taken the same way as the check-in, so the two can be compared like for like. 5. Quotes or invoices for any work you want to deduct for. 6. Your messages with the tenant about the deduction, with dates.

How LetSentry helps

In LetSentry you can record room-by-room inventories with photos, send the inventory for e-signing in the app, log maintenance and repairs against the property, and store invoices and messages alongside the tenancy. That means the check-in record, the repair history and the check-out record sit in one place when you need them.

LetSentry does not hold or protect deposits, and it does not decide disputes — that is for you, the tenant and the deposit scheme. It is a record-keeping tool for England.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a landlord have to protect a tenancy deposit in England? Landlords must protect a tenancy deposit with a government-approved scheme (DPS, mydeposits, or TDS) and give tenants the required information within 30 days of receiving the deposit.

What records help a landlord in a deposit dispute? If you use the scheme's free dispute resolution service, you and the tenant will both be asked to provide evidence. Records that can help include check-in and check-out reports with dated photos, the tenancy agreement, rent records, messages with the tenant, and invoices or receipts for any work.

What happens if a landlord and tenant cannot agree on deductions? Your deposit protection scheme offers a free dispute resolution service. You do not have to use it, but if you do, both you and the tenant have to agree to it. You'll both be asked to provide evidence, and the decision

Sources: - GOV.UK: Deposit protection schemes and landlords (accessed 2026-10-22): https://www.gov.uk/deposit-protection-schemes-and-landlords - GOV.UK: Deposit protection schemes and landlords (full guide) (accessed 2026-10-22): https://www.gov.uk/deposit-protection-schemes-and-landlords/print - GOV.UK: Information you must give to your tenants (accessed 2026-10-22): https://www.gov.uk/deposit-protection-schemes-and-landlords/information-you-must-give-to-your-tenants - GOV.UK: Tenancy deposit protection (accessed 2026-10-22): https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection - GOV.UK: Tenancy deposit protection (full guide) (accessed 2026-10-22): https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection/print - GOV.UK: Fees you can charge as part of a tenancy (accessed 2026-10-22): https://www.gov.uk/guidance/fees-you-can-charge-as-part-of-a-tenancy - GOV.UK: If a tenant wants a pet to live with them (accessed 2026-10-22): https://www.gov.uk/assured-tenancy-agreements-a-guide-for-landlords/if-a-tenant-wants-a-pet-to-live-with-them

Published: 2026-10-23.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-22.

General summary; not legal advice.