Deposit protection · Up to 3× compensation · No win, no fee

Your landlord didn’t protect your deposit? You could be owed up to 3× back.

Since April 2007, landlords must protect deposits in a government scheme within 30 days and give you the prescribed information. Miss either — and many do — and you can claim between one and three times the deposit.

You can claim even if your deposit was returned in full at the end of the tenancy.

The part most tenants don’t know: late protection still counts as a breach. Day 31 is already too late. Each renewal of the tenancy can also count as a fresh breach.

SRA-regulated solicitors
No win, no fee
Free assessment

Check my deposit — free

Step 1 of 2 · no personal details needed yet

Did you rent privately in England or Wales in the last 6 years?

Yes

Possibly — check for me

Do you know if your deposit was protected?

It wasn’t

I’m not sure

Free assessment · no obligation · you pay nothing unless the claim succeeds

Up to 3× back

The amount is set by a judge based on how serious the landlord’s failure was. Late protection attracts a lower penalty than no protection at all. Where the tenancy renewed and the breach repeated, awards can multiply — each renewal period is assessed separately.

Common breach types

Deposit not protected at all
Protected late (after 30 days)
No prescribed information served
Multiple renewals — multiple breaches

How it works

Step one

Free deposit check — we search the three protection schemes (DPS, TDS, Mydeposits) against your tenancy details to confirm whether and when your deposit was protected.

Step two

Letter of claim — we put the breach to your landlord with the evidence. Many cases settle at this stage.

Step three

Court award — a judge orders compensation of 1–3× the deposit per breach if they won’t settle fairly.

What clients are saying

★★★★★

"Legal Advisor handled my housing disrepair case from start to finish. I received £4,200 in compensation and didn't pay a penny upfront."

Sarah M.

Housing Disrepair Client

★★★★★

"Professional, compassionate, and incredibly effective. My claim was settled for significantly more than I expected."

Priya K.

Personal Injury Client

FAQ

My deposit was returned in full. Can I really claim?

Yes. The statutory penalty punishes the landlord's failure to protect the deposit properly during the tenancy — it doesn't depend on you losing money at the end. Returned deposits are one of the most common successful claim types precisely because tenants assume they can't claim once the money is back.

How much will I receive?

A judge awards between one and three times the deposit per breach, depending on the seriousness of the landlord's failure and their conduct. Where a tenancy was renewed and the failure repeated, awards from separate renewal periods can stack. We'll tell you the realistic range once we've confirmed the breach.

I left the property years ago. Am I too late?

You generally have six years from the breach to bring a claim. If your tenancy started or renewed within the last six years, it's worth a free check — the search of the three protection schemes (DPS, TDS, Mydeposits) takes minutes and costs you nothing.

Will this cause problems with my current landlord?

Claims are typically against former landlords, where there's no ongoing relationship to protect. If you're claiming against your current landlord, we'll talk you through the practical considerations — including the legal protections against retaliatory eviction — before you decide anything.

What exactly was my landlord supposed to do?

Two things, within 30 days of receiving your deposit: (1) protect it in one of the three government-approved schemes — DPS, TDS or Mydeposits; and (2) give you the "prescribed information" confirming where it's held, how to get it back, and what to do in a dispute. Miss either and the penalty applies. Late protection after 30 days also counts as a breach even if the deposit was eventually protected.

What Happens After You Contact Us

Free deposit check
We take your tenancy details and begin the initial assessment.
Protection schemes searched
We search DPS, TDS and Mydeposits against your tenancy details.
The breach is confirmed
We confirm whether and when your deposit was protected.
Letter of claim
We put the breach to your landlord with the evidence.
Settlement discussions
Many cases settle at the letter-of-claim stage.
Court award if required
If the landlord will not settle fairly, a judge can order compensation of 1–3× the deposit per breach.

Common questions

What does it cost to use Legal Advisor?

Nothing upfront. We act on a no win, no fee basis across all our services: if the claim succeeds, our fee is an agreed percentage of your compensation, confirmed in writing before we start. If it fails, you pay us nothing. The only exception is criminal defence, where we explain all funding options — including legal aid — at your first consultation.

Will I have to go to court?

Very unlikely. The overwhelming majority of our cases settle through negotiation or formal pre-action procedures without a court hearing. We prepare every case as if it will go to court — and that preparation is usually exactly what produces a settlement. If court proceedings are ever genuinely necessary, we handle them and prepare you fully at every stage.

How long will my case take?

It varies by service and the specific facts of your case. Housing disrepair and tenancy deposit claims often resolve in weeks to a few months. Industrial deafness and criminal injury claims typically take longer due to the medical evidence required. We give you a realistic timeline at the free assessment — not a vague estimate designed to get you started.

Who will be handling my case?

Your case is handled by Malone & White Solicitors Ltd, trading as Legal Advisor — a firm authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 659436). You'll have a named point of contact throughout, and you can verify our SRA registration at any time on the SRA's public register.

What protections do I have as a client?

As a client of an SRA-regulated firm you have formal legal protections: the right to a written fee agreement before work starts, the right to complain to us first through our complaints procedure, and the right to escalate to the Legal Ombudsman if you remain unsatisfied — all at no cost to you. Our fee arrangements are always confirmed in writing before any work begins.

How do I start?

Use the form at the top of this page for a free, no-obligation assessment, or call us directly on 01204 939470. We'll tell you honestly whether you have a case, what it's likely to be worth, and what the process involves — before you commit to anything.

Start my free assessment

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