Housing Act 2004 · Sections 213–214
Was your deposit protected? Calculate the compensation you're owed.
If your landlord missed the 30-day deadline or never gave you the Prescribed Information, a court must award you 1x to 3x your deposit — per breach.
Your deposit details
Include rolling onto a periodic tenancy.
Leave blank if still living there.
Estimated claim
£2,800 – £5,600
- Deposit return (100%)
- £1,400
- Breaches counted
- 1
- Penalty (1x–3x per breach)
- £1,400 – £4,200
- 30-day deadline
- 22 March 2023
- Claim deadline (6 yrs)
- Tenancy ongoing
- Deposit never protected in an authorised scheme (s213(3)).
- Prescribed Information not confirmed as served within 30 days (s213(5)–(6)).
Free letter before action
Fill in the names and addresses — the letter updates with your figures above. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
[Your full name] [Your address] [Landlord / letting agent name] [Landlord / agent address] Date: 25 October 2026 LETTER BEFORE CLAIM — SENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRACTICE DIRECTION ON PRE-ACTION CONDUCT Re: Tenancy deposit at [property address] Dear Sir/Madam, I write regarding the tenancy deposit of £1,400 which I paid on 20 February 2023 in connection with the assured shorthold tenancy of the above property, which began on 1 March 2023. Under section 213 of the Housing Act 2004 you were required, within 30 days of receiving the deposit (by 22 March 2023), to protect it in an authorised tenancy deposit scheme and to serve on me the Prescribed Information required by the Housing (Tenancy Deposits) (Prescribed Information) Order 2007. I believe you have failed to comply with these obligations, specifically: - Deposit never protected in an authorised scheme (s213(3)). - Prescribed Information not confirmed as served within 30 days (s213(5)–(6)). Under section 214 of the Housing Act 2004, the court must order you to pay me a sum of not less than the amount of the deposit and not more than three times the amount of the deposit for each breach, and may order repayment of the deposit. On this basis my claim is valued at between £2,800 and £5,600. I also note that while the deposit is not protected and the Prescribed Information not served, you cannot serve a valid notice under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 (s215 Housing Act 2004). I invite you to settle this matter by paying £2,800 within 14 days of the date of this letter. If I do not receive a satisfactory response, I intend to issue a claim in the County Court under Part 8 of the Civil Procedure Rules without further notice, and will seek my court fees and costs. I would be willing to consider alternative dispute resolution. Please provide copies of any deposit protection certificate and Prescribed Information you say were served. Please reply in writing to the address above. Yours faithfully, [Your name]
The 30-day rule →
Strict deadline from the day your landlord received the money.
Prescribed Information →
The documents your landlord must give you — a separate breach if missing.
Section 21 protection →
Why an unprotected deposit can block a no-fault eviction.
Know your rights before you claim
Your landlord had 30 days to protect your deposit and give you the Prescribed Information. If they didn't, the law is on your side — check your figures above, then send the free letter before action.
Frequently asked questions
How much compensation can I get for an unprotected deposit?
Under s214 Housing Act 2004 the court must order the landlord to pay between 1x and 3x the deposit for each breach, and may order the deposit itself to be returned.
How long do I have to claim?
Generally six years from the breach under the Limitation Act 1980. The calculator flags claims more than six years after the tenancy ended.
Do renewals increase my claim?
Potentially. Following Superstrike v Rodrigues, each renewal or statutory periodic tenancy can be a separate breach if the deposit was not compliant.
Can my landlord evict me with a Section 21 notice?
Not validly while the deposit is unprotected or Prescribed Information has not been served (s215 Housing Act 2004).
Is my data stored?
No. All calculations and the letter generator run in your browser. Nothing is sent to our servers.
See our methodology for full legal references.