Hassle-free help from the UK's best Landlord & Tenant solicitors.
Transparent pricing, from start to finishGet the support you need, when you need itTrusted lawyers, clear expectations
Transparent pricing, from start to finishGet the support you need, when you need itTrusted lawyers, clear expectations
Amazing experience
After placing an enquiry, I received a call 20 minutes later, and then 2 hours later, I had a solicitor assigned to me. They were absolutely incredible right from the word go - amazing and very prompt with replies, answering all my questions and keeping the process moving. We finally completed today and I am so unbelievably happy. I wouldn’t hesitate to use Lawhive again in the future if needed.
Lily
First class service
I initially made an online enquiry about a tricky conveyancing matter and received an immediate call back. They understood straight away what was needed and gave me a quote that was very reasonable. It was such a pleasure to find someone who was cheerful, professional and completely reassuring as I’d been getting quite anxious about the sale of my house. The service Lawhive has provided is absolutely first class and I cannot recommend them enough.
Charles
Empathetic, professional and efficient
I am an executor, selling my mother's home. I found the assistance I received from Lawhive first rate - empathetic, professional and efficient.
Mark
Great service from Lawhive
We used Lawhive for our conveyancing needs and our solicitor was very helpful, patient and informative. She helped us with our needs with prompt responses and provided a very efficient service.
Kelvin
Great service when you need clarity and calm
Our solicitor was warm, friendly and provided crystal clear communication. A lot of conveyancers assume customers know everything about the process already, so it was really appreciated to hear each stage included in the price given.
Em
Quick and efficient
We used Lawhive for a transfer of property and conveyancing. Our solicitor was so helpful and thorough with the whole process. He responded quickly and efficiently to any questions or requests that we had and explained some of the more complicated issues regarding the process clearly.
Geri
Fantastic service and experience with Lawhive
I had the pleasure of working with Lawhive doing a transfer of equity on a property. Our solicitor’s service was amazing, she responded quickly to any questions or concerns and kept me updated throughout the process. I can strongly recommend her for any conveyancing work that you may need. Fantastic service all round.
Jane
Amazing experience
After placing an enquiry, I received a call 20 minutes later, and then 2 hours later, I had a solicitor assigned to me. They were absolutely incredible right from the word go - amazing and very prompt with replies, answering all my questions and keeping the process moving. We finally completed today and I am so unbelievably happy. I wouldn’t hesitate to use Lawhive again in the future if needed.
Lily
First class service
I initially made an online enquiry about a tricky conveyancing matter and received an immediate call back. They understood straight away what was needed and gave me a quote that was very reasonable. It was such a pleasure to find someone who was cheerful, professional and completely reassuring as I’d been getting quite anxious about the sale of my house. The service Lawhive has provided is absolutely first class and I cannot recommend them enough.
Charles
Empathetic, professional and efficient
I am an executor, selling my mother's home. I found the assistance I received from Lawhive first rate - empathetic, professional and efficient.
Mark
Great service from Lawhive
We used Lawhive for our conveyancing needs and our solicitor was very helpful, patient and informative. She helped us with our needs with prompt responses and provided a very efficient service.
Kelvin
Great service when you need clarity and calm
Our solicitor was warm, friendly and provided crystal clear communication. A lot of conveyancers assume customers know everything about the process already, so it was really appreciated to hear each stage included in the price given.
Em
Quick and efficient
We used Lawhive for a transfer of property and conveyancing. Our solicitor was so helpful and thorough with the whole process. He responded quickly and efficiently to any questions or requests that we had and explained some of the more complicated issues regarding the process clearly.
Geri
Fantastic service and experience with Lawhive
I had the pleasure of working with Lawhive doing a transfer of equity on a property. Our solicitor’s service was amazing, she responded quickly to any questions or concerns and kept me updated throughout the process. I can strongly recommend her for any conveyancing work that you may need. Fantastic service all round.
Jane
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01 overview
Landlords must protect any deposit received from tenants in a Government-approved deposit protection scheme within 30 days of receiving it. Landlords must also keep evidence of providing the deposit certificate and prescribed information to tenants if they collect a deposit.
There are legal consequences if you fail to protect a tenant’s deposit, the first being that you won’t be able to serve a section 21 notice. The second is that the tenant may claim compensation at 1-3 times the value of the tenancy deposit.
If you are a landlord looking to defend a tenancy deposit claim, our network of specialist landlord lawyers is on hand to provide guidance and representation should you need it. Contact our legal assessment team for a free case assessment and to get a fixed-fee quote for your needs.
If you’ve received a letter of claim from a tenant regarding an unprotected deposit, you should seek legal advice from a specialist landlord and tenant lawyer. They will
If the claim is invalid, your solicitor can draft a letter of response outlining why. If the tenant’s claim holds some weight, your solicitor can support you in negotiating a settlement, like refunding the deposit, making a counterclaim, or taking further action to address the issue.
Under Section 214(4) of the Housing Act 2004, the court can order a landlord to pay a tenant a sum equal to or up to three times the deposit.
Alternatively, landlords and tenants can also opt to try and resolve disputes outside of court through alternative dispute resolution (ADR), the most popular method being through the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS).
ADR is often favoured over going to court because it tends to be more cost-effective and can lead to quicker resolutions. The TDS, in particular, is an independent scheme, and its decisions hold weight. However, it's important to note that TDS is typically only suitable for resolving disputes when a tenancy ends.
Landlords are legally required to protect any deposit received from tenants in a government-approved scheme. This must be done within 30 days of receiving the deposit.
Landlords must also return the deposit to tenants within 10 days of both parties agreeing on the final amount at the end of the tenancy.
The responsibility to protect a tenant's deposit ultimately falls on the landlord. It is a statutory obligation outlined in deposit regulations, and landlords cannot contract out of statutory obligations.
This means that landlords can't shift the responsibility onto their agents if a deposit is not protected.
However, suppose the landlord has a clause in the agency agreement instructing the agent to fulfill these duties on their behalf, and the agent fails to do so. In that case, the landlord may have grounds for a separate legal action against the agent for breach of contract.
If you’ve missed the 30-day window to protect your tenant’s deposit, they can file a claim in county court at any point during their tenancy.
If the court says that you haven’t protected the deposit, you will have to either repay the deposit to your tenants or put it into a custodial tenant’s deposit protection scheme within 14 days.
Our network of landlord solicitors is on hand to help guide you through defending a deposit claim.
To get started, contact us today for a free case assessment.
With straightforward pricing - so you know exactly what to expect at every step.
