Having left our rented accommodation over a month and a half ago, we still have not got our deposit back. In this article I look at the new tenancy deposit scheme and your rights as a tenant.

 

So is the TDS tedious? In short yes. Although the scheme is designed to help protect both the landlord and the tenant is does not exactly make the process quick or easy far from it. The process is complicated and long winded.

 

Our deposit was/is protected by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS)

 

How long until I get my deposit back?

The time frame for the return of your deposit should be outlined in your tenancy agreement.

 

There are then three possible scenarios with in this time frame:

1. Your landlord agrees to the return of your deposit. Brilliant!
2. You landlord brings a claim within the given time frame. You can then dispute this and if after a specified time (this should also be in your tenancy agreement) it has not been resolved you need to bring the dispute up with the TDS.
3. Your landlord does not agree to the return of your deposit because either

a) you can not get hold of him but you have a forwarding address or

b) you can not get hold of them and they have no forwarding address.

In case a) after the given time frame you must then fill in form 2 on the website and bring a dispute against the landlord http://www.thedisputeservice.co.uk/index.php?p=12

or in case b) you must inform the TDS that you can not get hold of your landlord and you have no forwarding address.  The TDS will normally allow 40 working days since the end of the tenancy before giving you your deposit back.