A letting agency claiming £500 for cleaning or wear-and-tear it's trying to pass off as damage isn't automatically entitled to it — even if they manage hundreds of properties and you're a single tenant. If your deposit certificate shows MyDeposits as the scheme, the same neutral, evidence-based rules apply regardless of who's on the other side.
Which type of scheme are you in?
MyDeposits operates two models:
- Custodial: MyDeposits physically holds the deposit for the duration of the tenancy.
- Insured: your landlord keeps the deposit themselves, but it's insured through MyDeposits. This matters at the end of a dispute: if an adjudicator rules in your favour and the landlord still won't pay, MyDeposits pays you directly and pursues the landlord for the money separately — you're not left chasing an uncooperative landlord for a second time after already winning the case.
The same two principles that decide most disputes
- Fair wear and tear: normal deterioration from ordinary daily use over the length of your tenancy is the landlord's responsibility, not yours — a repainted wall showing a few scuffs after three years is expected, not damage.
- Betterment: a landlord can't use your deposit to end up better off than before. If they're claiming for a full replacement door when only a minor repair was needed, or the original item was already old, the adjudicator will reduce the claim to reflect its real remaining value.
The evidence that actually wins
- Signed check-in and check-out inventories — if a landlord can't produce one, it becomes very difficult for them to prove damage occurred during your tenancy rather than beforehand
- Dated photos from both the start and end of the tenancy
- Alternative quotes if the landlord's invoice looks inflated — submitting a lower, comparable quote directly challenges an overstated repair cost
- Your written objections to each specific deduction, itemised rather than a general complaint
How to raise a dispute
- Try to resolve it directly with your landlord or agent first, in writing, confirming which deductions you accept and which you dispute.
- If unresolved, raise a formal dispute at mydeposits.co.uk/tenants/dispute-resolution.
- Submit your evidence — the process is entirely document-based, with no hearing required.
- An independent adjudicator reviews both sides' evidence and issues a binding decision, typically within around 28 days of receiving the complete file.
Keep an eye on timing: dispute deadlines are generally calculated from your move-out date (commonly three months minus one day for insured deposits), so don't wait for a "final" answer from your landlord before raising the formal dispute — you can still keep talking to them while the case is open.
See also: first confirm whether your deposit is legally protected, and if it's held elsewhere, how to dispute deductions with TDS or DPS.