Dec
Keep your money safe!
Don’t let your money get lost! When you move into a new property, there are of things to set up – electricity bills, internet, and a washing-up rota. Ensuring your landlord protected your deposit may seem like a hassle, but it’s just as important as getting good broadband speeds.
If you’re renting privately through a landlord or letting agency, and you have an Assured Short hold Tenancy Agreement, your landlord or agency is required by law to protect your deposit.
Having your deposit protected means that you and your housemates will be able to get back all or some of your deposit when you’re entitled to it at the end of your tenancy. It also means that you and your landlord or agency will have access to independent adjudicator if you disagree on how much of your deposit you should keep.
There are three government-backed deposit protection schemes that your landlord or letting agency must use: My Deposits (http://www.mydeposits.co.uk ), the Deposit Protection Service (http://www.depositprotection.com) and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (https://www.tds.gb.com/ ). Your landlord or agent is required by law to confirm in writing within 30 days of receiving your deposit that they have protected it with one of the schemes. If you signed an Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement on your current student house you should check that your deposit is protected. All three schemes allow you to look up your property to check your deposit. You can do it by using this website:http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/tenancy_deposits/tenancy_deposit_protection_schemes/deposit_protection_and_tenancy_deposit_schemes
If your deposit isn’t protected, you should contact your landlord or letting agency to ensure that they have used the scheme, and that they send you a confirmation number. Once you receive this, you can relax: you and your housemates will be able to sort out your deposit at the end of your tenancy.
If you need help in getting your deposit protected, contact the advice centre: call 023 8059 2085 or email advice@susu.org
