The tenancy deposit protection scheme is designed to protect a tenant's deposit and ensure that it is returned to them at the end of their tenancy, provided they have met the terms of their tenancy agreement.
Under the authorised scheme, landlords are required to place their tenants' deposit into a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it. The scheme holds the deposit for the duration of the tenancy and provides a dispute resolution service if there is a disagreement about the return of the deposit at the end of the tenancy.
At the end of the tenancy, if the landlord and tenant agree on the amount of deposit to be returned, the scheme will release the deposit accordingly. If there is a disagreement, the dispute resolution service will review the evidence and make a decision on the amount of deposit to be returned.