Glossary

A sum of money paid to your landlord to be held as security and which can be used by your landlord to cover costs and expenses incurred by them after you have left the property which are down to your breach of the terms of your tenancy agreement. So, for example, deposits can be used for:

• Rent arrears
• Damage to the property
• Replacing broken items
• Cleaning

However deposits cannot be used to put a property in a better condition than it was at the start of the tenancy, and landlords cannot claim for ‘fair wear and tear’. All deposits paid in respect of Assured Shorthold Tenancies must be protected with a government-authorised tenancy deposit scheme.