My deposit wasn't protected in a scheme — what do I do?

Your landlord has broken the law. Deposits for assured tenancies must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receipt. The three approved schemes in England are: Deposit Protection Service (DPS), MyDeposits, and Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS).

If your deposit wasn't protected, or wasn't protected within 30 days, you can apply to the county court and claim between one and three times the deposit amount as a penalty. You can do this even while you're still living there — you don't have to wait until you move out.

An unprotected deposit also makes any Section 21 notice your landlord might have served invalid. If you received a Section 21 before 1 May 2026 and your deposit was never protected, that notice may be challengeable.

Check whether your deposit is protected by visiting the websites of all three schemes and searching your name and tenancy details. If it's not listed on any of them, it wasn't protected.

Once confirmed, write to your landlord asking them to protect it immediately and provide you with the required "prescribed information." If they don't act within 14 days, apply to the county court. Search "deposit protection claim" on GOV.UK or get free help from Citizens Advice.