Making a claim
How Much Could You Get?
If your landlord broke the deposit rules, a court must award you between one and three times your deposit.
Calculate What You Could ClaimFree to check · 60 seconds · No win, no fee
In Short
If your landlord in England did not protect your deposit within 30 days, or did not give you the prescribed information, a court must order them to pay you between one and three times the deposit. The court decides the amount within that range, looking at things like how serious the failure was. The landlord then has 14 days to pay. On a £1,000 deposit, that means between £1,000 and £3,000.
What 1x To 3x Looks Like In Pounds
Minimum award (1x)Maximum award (3x)
These show the range a court must award within. They are not a prediction for any one case.
What Pushes The Award Up Or Down
What You Keep, On A £3,000 Award
- Nothing to pay up front
- Success fee up to 25% + VAT
- Roughly £2,100 left before any insurance
- You do not pay their fee
- Nothing to pay us
- Costs explained in writing first
More Than One Tenancy?
Some county courts have made a separate award for each tenancy. Others have refused, and no higher court has decided it. So it is possible, but do not count on it. A solicitor can look at your history.
Things That Can Reduce Or Stop A Claim
- Waiting too long: claims generally need to be within six years
- Lodgers living with their landlord are outside the rules
- Joint tenants normally all need to be part of the claim
- A dissolved or insolvent landlord can be hard to recover from
Here's What You Get When Working With Us
Recommended
With Free Deposit Check- Full online deposit check and analysis
- All three deposit schemes searched for you
- Eligibility and time limits checked
- Your whole case file prepared
- Matched with our specialist solicitors
- £387 court fee covered in your agreement
- With you at every step
- £0 up front and £0 if you lose (terms apply)
- Search each scheme yourself
- Work out if you qualify
- Gather and organise all the evidence
- Write the letter to your landlord
- Pay the £387 court fee up front (Help with Fees may cut it)
- Present your case to the court
- Chase your landlord for payment
- All the risk and work is on you
If you win, the solicitor's success fee (up to 25% + VAT) comes out of your compensation. The solicitor pays us for the introduction, so you never pay us anything.
Quick Answers
How Much Compensation Do You Get For An Unprotected Deposit?
A court must order the landlord to pay between one and three times the deposit. On a £1,200 deposit that is between £1,200 and £3,600.
How Does The Court Decide Between 1x And 3x?
There is no formula. Judges look mainly at how blameworthy the landlord was, for example whether they should have known the rules and whether they put things right.
Can I Claim For More Than One Tenancy?
Some county courts have made a separate award for each tenancy, but other judges have refused and no higher court has ruled. It depends on the facts.
Do I Keep All Of The Compensation?
With a no win, no fee solicitor, their success fee (up to 25% + VAT) and any insurance cost come out of the compensation. If you lose, you do not pay their fee.
Keep Reading
Sources
Last updated 15 October 2026. General information for tenants in England only (the rules differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). Not legal advice.