Deposit protection schemes ensure that tenants get their deposits back at the end of a tenancy provided the tenant does not have any outstanding rent or bills, did not cause damage to the property and that during the course of their tenancy they met the terms of their agreement.
A tenant and landlord will agree how much of the deposit is to be returned to the tenant. For example, the return might be smaller than a tenant's initial offering to cover outstanding bills or to cover the cost of repairs.
Once a landlord and tenant have agreed the return, a landlord or letting agent has 10 days to return the agreed amount. To do so, the landlord or letting agent will pay the tenant the agreed amount directly before contacting the deposit protection scheme to notify them that it has been repaid.