Tenancy deposit protection
Most deposits should be protected within 30 days of you paying one.
This applies to assured and assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs).
Lodger deposits do not need to be protected.
Check your deposit is protected
There are 3 deposit protection schemes.
Your landlord must register your deposit with one of these schemes.
Check which scheme your deposit is registered with.
You need a postcode, surname, tenancy start date and deposit amount to search.
Deposit Protection Service (DPS)
0330 303 0030
email or chat with DPSmydeposits
0333 321 9401
email or chat with mydepositsTenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS)
0300 037 1000 - insurance scheme
0300 037 1001 - custodial scheme
email or chat with TDS
Call or email your scheme if you cannot get into your online account.
0300 and 0333 numbers are not free but are included in mobile and landline call bundles.
If you cannot find your deposit when you search
Ask your landlord:
if they registered your deposit with a scheme
which scheme it was
what name they used
Check your rights if your deposit is not protected.
Joint tenants
Try searching with another joint tenant's last name.
Use your lead tenant's name if you have a lead tenant.
More on deposits in a joint tenancy.
If you paid your deposit before 6 April 2007
Your landlord does not have to protect your deposit if you paid it before 6 April 2007 and either:
you never had a fixed term tenancy
your fixed term tenancy ended before that date
But your landlord needs to protect or return your deposit if they want to evict you.
Last updated: 1 May 2026
