Tips for tenants: how to keep your deposit

Tenants are still losing thousands of pounds in deposits each month by not sticking to tenancy agreements, according to mydeposits.co.uk, a Government-authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme

Mandatory tenancy deposit protection (TDP) rules were introduced to ensure a fair and balanced way for landlords and tenants to resolve any disputes at the end of a tenancy.

Since April 2007, landlords have to give reasons and evidence (if called upon) if they withhold some or all of the deposit. As long as tenants read and understand their responsibilities in their tenancy agreements, landlords are not permitted to unfairly withhold their cash.

mydeposits.co.uk is helping tenants by providing concrete advice on how to keep their deposits.

1. What would your mother say? Keep it clean!

You are most likely to lose your deposit in order to cover cleaning costs. This doesn't come cheap either.

Cleaning bills account for 38 per cent of all deposit disputes. So avoid being stung for the cost of a professional clean by keeping the property in a reasonable condition throughout the tenancy. Little and often makes it bearable.

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