My landlord won’t return my deposit.
Deposits have rules almost everywhere. In many places they must be protected or lodged with an official body, deductions have to be justified, and there’s a low-cost way to settle a dispute. Evidence matters most: the condition at the start and the end, the dates, and the messages.
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How deposits work
From the day you pay to the day it comes back.
Tap each stage to see what usually happens. Where it’s held and how you get it back differ by place: choose yours below.
A general outline. Every tenancy is different.
General information, checked against official sources on 2 October 2026. It isn’t advice about your case. The rules in their own words ↓
Before you hand back the keys
The record that shows what happened.
Evidence matters in deposit disputes. Seven things:
- Find the check-in inventory.Signed, with any notes you added. It’s the baseline everything is measured against.
- Photograph every room.Same angles as at check-in, with dates. Walls, floors, appliances, windows.
- Clean, and keep the receipt.If you paid for a professional clean, the receipt matters.
- Note the meter readings.Photograph them on the day you leave.
- Return the keys and get it in writing.A message confirming the date and the number of keys.
- Give a forwarding address.In writing, so the deposit and any claim can reach you.
- Keep every message.Repair requests during the tenancy show which problems weren’t your doing.
If the landlord claims part of it, ask for the reasons and evidence in writing before you agree to anything.
Free tool
Their claim, answered item by item.
List each deduction they’re claiming, say whether you agree, set out what happened, and note the evidence. You get a numbered list to send to the scheme, board or tribunal. It stays in this browser.
Your points will appear here, numbered in their order.
Saved only in this browser. On a shared device, print it and delete it when you’re done.
Photos everywhere? Put them in one dated PDF →
See it in the app
From “all fine” to £450: see how it puts your papers in order.
- Add your papers.The tenancy agreement, the inventory, the messages, the deductions email. Before the language model reads a word, names become tags.
- It spots what doesn’t add up.“All fine” on the handover note, then £450 for cleaning and a carpet. Both quoted, with their papers. It doesn’t say who is right.
- It quotes the law where you live. Coming in early accessThe sections that apply to your case, in the law’s own words, with a link to the official text. Change the country above and it changes too.
- It prepares the letter.A letter about the deposit, every point with the paper it rests on. Marked draft: you check it, and an advice service can too.
Sample case. Names and papers are fictional.
What the rules say
The rules, in their own words.
Five questions about deposits and bonds, answered only from the law and official guidance, with the passage that answers it highlighted.
Quoted from the official text. It isn’t advice about your tenancy, and the law changes: check the official site. Renting law is set by each Australian state, US state and Canadian province; New South Wales, California and Ontario are shown as examples.
Questions people ask
The questions that keep you up at night.
How long does my landlord have to return my deposit?
It depends where you live. In England it’s within 10 days of agreeing the amount; in California, 21 days after you move out; in New South Wales, Fair Trading pays after 14 days if the landlord doesn’t dispute your claim; in Ireland, as soon as possible. In Ontario the deposit usually covers your last month’s rent.
Can my landlord charge for normal wear and tear?
Generally, no. California and New South Wales law exclude ordinary wear and tear, Ireland’s Residential Tenancies Board allows deductions only for damage beyond it, and New Zealand refunds the bond in full where there’s no damage beyond fair wear and tear.
My deposit was never protected. What now?
Where protection is required, there are consequences. In England a court can order the landlord to pay up to three times the deposit; in New South Wales not lodging the bond is an offence; in New Zealand it’s an unlawful act. In Ontario a damage deposit isn’t allowed at all.
Should I skip my last month’s rent instead?
It’s risky: unpaid rent can be taken from the deposit and lead to other claims. Ontario is different: there the deposit is your last month’s rent.
What evidence helps most?
The check-in inventory, dated photos from the start and the end, receipts for cleaning or repairs you paid for, and messages showing problems you reported during the tenancy.
Do I need a lawyer?
Not always. Many deposit disputes go to services designed for people without lawyers: deposit scheme dispute services, the Residential Tenancies Board, NCAT, small claims court, the Landlord and Tenant Board and the Tenancy Tribunal. Free advice services can tell you whether your situation needs a lawyer.
You’re not alone
You don’t have to do this alone.
Many tenants handle these problems without a lawyer, using services built for them. Free advice can tell you whether your situation needs a lawyer, especially if your home or a large sum is at stake.
Showing help for England. Change it with “Where you live” above.
“I built this after going through a court case myself.” — Andrew, founder
With a lawyer or without one, walk in with your papers in order.
PROVEAiBLE reads your papers, sets out the facts with their pages, shows where the papers disagree, quotes the law for where you live, and prepares your papers for the hearing. It never tells you which legal step to take, or how it will turn out. Law for more countries: coming in early access
Sources, checked 2 October 2026
- England: GOV.UK; GOV.UK; GOV.UK; GOV.UK
- Ireland: Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (Revised Act, Law Reform Commission, updated to 1 March 2026); Residential Tenancies Board; Residential Tenancies Board
- Australia: Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW); NSW Government (NSW Fair Trading); NSW Government (NSW Fair Trading)
- United States (California): California Civil Code; California Courts Self-Help Guide
- Canada (Ontario): Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (Ontario); Landlord and Tenant Board (Tribunals Ontario)
- New Zealand: Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (NZ); Tenancy Services (MBIE); Tenancy Services (MBIE)
General information, not legal advice. Laws, rules and court processes change; check the official pages and your own papers before you act.