House Hunting Guide A5_ Keele_ Hunting Guide _K digital single pages | Page 16

Deposit
Do I have to pay and when?
Student housing deposits
Most private landlords will require you to pay
a deposit. The deposit acts as security against
non-payment of rent or damage to the property.
All landlords MUST by law, use a tenancy deposit
protection (TDP) scheme to safeguard your money
if your tenancy is an assured shorthold. This
ensures you’ll get your deposit back at the end
of the tenancy if you’re entitled to it. Check which
TDP scheme the landlord uses. Most students
have assured shorthold tenancy agreements.
Your Landlord should not
deduct money
● ● To replace a worn carpet with a new one.
● ● To repair something they didn’t do when they
should have – for example, a leak you told them
about that got worse and caused damage.
● ● Decorate a whole room if there are one or two
marks on a wall that have appeared while you
have lived in the property.
● ● For reasonable wear and tear – i.e. deducting
money from your deposit to repair things that have
gradually worn out.
How to get your deposit back
● ● Get a receipt for any money paid.
● ● Agree an inventory with your landlord before you
move in.
● ● Ensure you note the condition of the property and
any items.
● ● Take photographs of every room when you move
in and when you leave.
● ● Keep a record of any repairs etc.
● ● Clean the property before the landlord checks it.
● ● Leave the property in the same condition as when
you moved in.
Reasons you may not get your
deposit back
● ● You owe rent.
● ● You have damaged the property - this could be
a spill on the carpet or a mark on the wall where
you’ve hung a picture.
● ● Something is lost or broken.
● ● Additional cleaning costs.
Problems
If you have any problems
with any of the above,
remember you can contact
ASK at the Students’ Union:
keelesu.com/advice
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