Tenancy deposit disputes are one of the most common consumer problems in the UK. These are the official channels — all free, no solicitor needed. If your deposit was protected properly, the scheme that holds it must offer you free dispute resolution.
Need to write to your landlord? Use our free letter generator to draft a deposit dispute letter.
Check if your landlord has legally protected your deposit (UK)
What: Searches all three government-approved deposit protection schemes (TDS, DPS and MyDeposits) in one place to verify your deposit is legally protected.
When to use: At the start of any tenancy in the UK, or before leaving a property. If your landlord hasn't protected your deposit within 30 days of receiving it, you can claim up to 3x the deposit amount in court.
Want to know more? Read our full guide →Dispute unfair deposit deductions for free (UK)
What: Free Alternative Dispute Resolution service. You don't need a solicitor — just submit your evidence and the scheme adjudicates.
When to use: When your landlord proposes deposit deductions you consider unfair or exaggerated.
Want to know more? Read our full guide →Dispute a deposit held with DPS
What: Free dispute resolution for deposits protected with the DPS scheme.
When to use: If your deposit certificate shows DPS as the scheme and your landlord is withholding unfairly.
Want to know more? Read our full guide →Dispute a deposit held with MyDeposits
What: Free dispute resolution for deposits protected with MyDeposits.
When to use: If your deposit certificate shows MyDeposits as the scheme.
Want to know more? Read our full guide →Get free emergency housing legal advice (UK)
What: Free housing charity offering legal advice, emergency help, and template letters for tenants facing eviction, disrepair, deposit disputes, or illegal landlord behaviour.
Helpline: 0808 800 4444
When to use: Any housing problem where you need legal guidance quickly — Shelter's advice is equivalent to a solicitor consultation at no cost.
Want to know more? Read our full guide →Understand your rights as a tenant before taking action (UK)
What: Free, comprehensive guidance on renting rights, eviction processes, repair obligations, and landlord disputes.
When to use: Before contacting your landlord formally — understand exactly what you're entitled to demand and what the landlord is legally required to provide.
Want to know more? Read our full guide →Check your state's security deposit return laws
What: Official HUD directory linking to each US state's specific tenant rights resources, including security deposit deadlines and deduction rules, which vary significantly by state.
When to use: If your landlord hasn't returned your deposit or provided an itemized deduction list within your state's deadline.
Want to know more? Read our full guide → Generate your demand letter →Understand your right to a habitable home
What: Official HUD directory covering tenant protections by state, including the Implied Warranty of Habitability — the legal right to essential repairs (heat, water, structural safety) regardless of lease terms.
When to use: If your landlord won't fix essential conditions like heat, water, or a serious mold/pest problem.
Want to know more? Read our full guide → Generate your Notice to Repair letter →Find emergency legal help for an illegal lockout
What: Free directory connecting you to local legal aid organizations by state and zip code — useful for urgent tenant emergencies like an illegal lockout or utility shutoff.
When to use: If a landlord has illegally changed your locks, cut utilities, or removed your belongings without a court order.
Want to know more? Read our full guide → Run the emergency checklist →Australian Rental Bond & Repairs Dispute Resources
What: The official rental-bond and tenancy-tribunal pathways for the main Australian states — where you lodge a bond claim, dispute unfair deductions, or apply for a repair order when a landlord won't act.
When to use: Use this when a landlord won't return your bond, is making deductions you believe are unfair, or won't complete repairs — including urgent safety or habitability issues. Note the bond dispute process varies by state: NSW, VIC and QLD run an automated, tenant-initiated claim process the moment you move out, but WA releases a bond only by mutual agreement or a magistrate's order — there is no automatic tenant-initiated claim clock.
Official pathways:
NSW — Rental Bonds Online / NCAT →
Victoria — RTBA / VCAT →
Queensland — RTA / QCAT →
Western Australia — Bond Disputes (Magistrates Court) →