Write to the landlord or agent today with a clear deadline to confirm how the deposit will be returned and to set out the repairs issue in one page with attachments. If nothing is done, the deposit dispute usually drifts until the landlord tries to justify deductions after the money is already being held back. Keep everything in writing, stop negotiating by phone, and prepare to use the tenancy deposit scheme’s official dispute process if deductions are proposed. If the property is still unsafe or there is ongoing disrepair, separate that from the deposit argument and raise it as a repairs complaint at the same time.
What the problem is
This problem shows up in UK rentals at the end of a tenancy when a tenant leaves after reporting repairs during the tenancy, but the issues were not fixed properly or at all. It often affects tenants who have chased damp, leaks, heating failures, broken windows, unsafe electrics, or recurring mould, and then face a deposit deduction or a refusal to return the deposit because the landlord claims the tenant caused damage or “didn’t report it”.
It typically appears after the keys are handed back and the check-out report arrives, or after a partial response to a complaint where the landlord acknowledges the issue but still proposes deductions. Many people only realise the dispute has hardened when the agent sends a “final account” or a list of charges and asks for agreement quickly, sometimes while the deposit is still sitting in the scheme.
Why this happens
Unresolved repairs become end-of-tenancy disputes because the landlord’s incentives change once the tenancy ends: there is no longer a need to keep the tenant satisfied, and the deposit becomes the easiest pot of money to target for costs. Repairs that were delayed can be reframed as “damage”, and routine wear can be presented as neglect, especially where damp or mould has worsened over time.
Common causes include poor record-keeping, contractors not attending, repeated temporary fixes, and unclear communication about access. Another frequent trigger is a check-out inspection that focuses on condition without acknowledging earlier repair reports, so the timeline is lost and the landlord treats the end state as the tenant’s responsibility.
Landlords and agents often respond by asking for more and more proof while keeping their own evidence brief and asserting that deductions are “standard”.
Your rights in practice
In UK cases, the strongest practical position comes from showing a clear timeline: the problem was reported, access was offered, and the issue existed during the tenancy rather than being caused at the end. Deposit deductions are not automatic just because something needs work; what usually works is narrowing the dispute to specific items and requiring the landlord to evidence both responsibility and cost.
Leverage tends to come from three angles: written repair reports (showing notice), independent-looking evidence (dated photos, contractor messages, GP or school letters only if relevant), and the deposit scheme’s expectation that deductions must be justified. Where the landlord failed to act on repairs, it often undermines claims that the tenant should pay for the consequences, particularly for damp linked to leaks or failed ventilation systems.
It also helps to separate “condition at move-out” from “repair liability during the tenancy”. A tenant can accept that a property needs work without accepting that the cost should come from the deposit, and that distinction is usually where negotiations become more realistic.
Legal or official basis
The practical route for most end-of-tenancy deposit arguments is the tenancy deposit protection scheme’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process. If the deposit was protected, the scheme holds the money and can decide how it should be split when the parties cannot agree, based on evidence from both sides. In practice, this works best when the tenant submits a short, organised bundle that links each disputed deduction to the earlier repair history and shows why the landlord’s claim does not follow.
ADR is designed to avoid court, and the scheme will usually expect the landlord to show check-in and check-out evidence, invoices or quotes, and an explanation of why the tenant is responsible rather than the landlord’s maintenance duty. The scheme’s own guidance on how deposit disputes are handled and what evidence is considered is summarised on GOV.UK guidance.
Evidence that matters
Evidence is less about volume and more about sequence. The most persuasive material usually shows that the repair issue existed, was reported, and was not resolved despite reasonable access and chasing. Where damp or mould is involved, photos taken over time are often more useful than a single dramatic image at the end.
Collect the check-in inventory, the check-out report, and any mid-tenancy inspection notes, then add the repair trail: emails, portal messages, texts, and screenshots showing dates. Include proof of access offers (proposed dates, confirmation messages) and any contractor attendance notes. If the landlord is claiming cleaning or damage, keep receipts and photos from the day of leaving, but keep the focus on the disputed items rather than trying to re-argue the whole tenancy.
What not to do is edit photos, overwrite message threads, or send long emotional narratives that bury the key dates. Avoid paying for major remedial work after moving out just to “prove a point”, because it can blur responsibility and create new arguments about authorisation.
Quick checklist
- Check-in inventory and photos (move-in condition)
- Repair reports and chasers with dates (notice and follow-up)
- Access offers and contractor messages (attempts to resolve)
- Check-out report and landlord deduction list (what is being claimed)
Common mistakes
Three common mistakes are relying on phone calls with no written follow-up, sending a single huge email thread without a timeline summary, and accepting a partial deposit return “as goodwill” without confirming it is not full and final settlement.
Do not do yet
Do not agree to any deduction in writing until the landlord has provided evidence and the deposit scheme route has been checked.
What to do next
Send one letter
Send a short written message to the landlord or agent that does three things: asks for the deposit return amount and proposed deductions, disputes any repair-related deductions with a timeline summary, and sets a clear deadline for a response. Keep it to one page plus attachments, and refer to evidence by date (for example, “reported leak on [date], chased on [date], access offered on [date]”).
Use official process
If the deposit is protected, use the deposit scheme’s official dispute process rather than informal bargaining. The scheme will have an online route to raise a dispute or to respond to proposed deductions; it is normally found by logging into the scheme account or by using the scheme’s “raise a dispute” page linked from the protection certificate. Prepare the information the scheme asks for, but do not copy the scheme’s form into emails and do not send personal data beyond what the scheme requires.
Prepare details
- Tenancy dates and property address (as on the certificate)
- Deposit amount and scheme reference number
- Landlord’s proposed deductions and amounts
- Evidence bundle with a one-page timeline
Watch the clock
Most schemes expect disputes to be raised promptly once deductions are proposed, and the normal pattern is that the scheme sets deadlines for both sides to upload evidence. If the landlord or agent does not respond to the initial written deadline, escalate by starting the scheme dispute immediately and notifying the landlord in writing that ADR is being used unless the full undisputed amount is released at once.
Change the angle
If the landlord’s deductions are mainly framed as “damage” caused by disrepair (for example, mould staining after a leak), keep the dispute tightly linked to the repair history and avoid debating lifestyle allegations unless there is clear evidence. Where the dispute is really about condition evidence, it can help to compare the check-in inventory wording against the check-out claims and point out missing landlord evidence (no check-in photos, no invoice, or a quote that includes improvements).
Split the issues
If repairs were ignored during the tenancy and the same landlord is still resisting accountability, treat the deposit dispute and the repairs complaint as separate tracks so one does not stall the other. Where ongoing disrepair needs escalation steps beyond the deposit argument, the process described in Landlord ignoring repairs — escalation steps in the UK is often the right decision point, especially if there were safety issues or repeated failures to attend.
Typical resolution
In many UK cases, the issue is usually resolved when the deposit scheme requires evidence and the landlord realises unsupported deductions are unlikely to be upheld.
Related issues on this site
If the landlord’s deductions focus on the check-out report rather than the repair history, it can help to look at how inventory wording and photos are weighed in an Inventory dispute at end of tenancy scenario, because the same evidence gaps often decide the outcome. If the dispute is being pushed into “professional clean” arguments that distract from the repairs timeline, the patterns in an End of tenancy cleaning dispute can clarify whether the landlord is mixing wear-and-tear with chargeable cleaning. These become relevant when the landlord bundles multiple small claims to make the repair-related deduction look more credible.
FAQ
Deposit held back
A deposit held back for unresolved repairs is usually handled through the tenancy deposit scheme, not by arguing item by item over email. Ask for the exact deductions and evidence, then start ADR if agreement is not reached.
Repair emails missing
Repair emails missing from an old inbox can be replaced with screenshots from portals, texts, and any contractor messages that show dates and the issue reported. Add a short timeline and keep it consistent with the check-out findings.
Mould blamed on tenant
Mould blamed on tenant behaviour is often countered by a repair history showing leaks, failed heating, or repeated reports with no lasting fix. Focus on notice given, access offered, and whether the landlord investigated properly.
Partial deposit offer
A partial deposit offer with conditions should be treated carefully because it may be presented as full and final settlement. Confirm in writing what is undisputed and what remains in dispute before accepting any payment.
Before you move on
Put the timeline and evidence into a single folder, send one calm message with a deadline, and be ready to use the deposit scheme’s official dispute route if deductions are not properly evidenced. Time pressure is common at the end of a tenancy when an agent pushes for quick agreement before ADR is started.
Get help with the next step
Contact UKFixGuide — If the landlord is linking deposit deductions to repairs that were reported and not fixed, share the dates and the deduction list so the next escalation step is clear.
