Tenancy deposit protection in each UK nation compared

Last updated 25 Oct 2026

In England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, a private landlord must protect a tenant's deposit in a government-approved scheme, but the deadline differs. It is 30 days in England and Wales, 30 working days from the start of the tenancy in Scotland, and 28 days in Northern Ireland.

This page compares the four nations. For the England rules in more depth, see tenancy deposit protection in England.

The rules side by side

	England	Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland
Deadline to protect	30 days from receiving the deposit	30 days from the day the deposit is paid	30 working days from the start of the tenancy	28 days from receiving the deposit
Approved schemes	Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits, Tenancy Deposit Scheme	The same three as England	Letting Protection Service Scotland, mydeposits Scotland, SafeDeposits Scotland	My Deposits Northern Ireland, Tenancy Deposit Scheme Northern Ireland
Information for the tenant	Prescribed information within the same 30 days	Required information within the same 30 days	Written information within the same 30 working days	Prescribed information within 35 days of receiving the deposit
Penalty	Court orders 1 to 3 times the deposit	Court orders 1 to 3 times the deposit	Tribunal orders up to 3 times the deposit	Fine of up to £20,000 on summary conviction
Law	Housing Act 2004, ss213-215	Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, s45 and Sch 5	Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011	Private Tenancies (NI) Order 2006, art 5B

Sources for each row are in the sections below.

England

Gov.uk says you or your letting agent "must put your tenants' deposit in the scheme within 30 days of getting it." The three approved schemes cover properties in England or Wales. Source: GOV.UK, deposit protection schemes and landlords.

Information. Within the same 30 days you must give the tenant, and anyone who paid for them, the prescribed information. Source: Housing Act 2004, section 213.
Penalty. The county court must order you to pay the applicant between one and three times the deposit. Source: Housing Act 2004, section 214.
Possession. An unprotected deposit can stop a possession order on most grounds. Source: Housing Act 2004, section 215.
Cap. A deposit above five weeks' rent is a prohibited payment, or six weeks' where the annual rent is £50,000 or more. Source: Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 1. See what else landlords in England can take up front.

Wales

Wales uses the same three schemes as England, but the duty sits in the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 and the tenant is called the contract-holder.

Deadline. Section 45 says the landlord must act "before the end of the period of 30 days starting with the day on which the deposit is paid". Within that time they comply with the scheme's initial requirements and give the required information. Source: Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, section 45.
Penalty. The court must order the landlord to pay "not less than the amount of the deposit and not more than three times the amount of the deposit". Source: Schedule 5.
Notices. A landlord who has not met the deposit requirements cannot give a section 173 or section 186 notice, or use a break clause, to end a standard contract. Source: section 46.

The Welsh Government's deposit guidance says a court "can order the return of the deposit and award compensation" if it is not protected. For the wider Welsh rules, see the Renting Homes (Wales) Act guide.

Scotland

mygov.scot says you must protect the deposit "within 30 working days of the tenancy starting", in one of three approved schemes. Source: mygov.scot, when you must protect a tenancy deposit.

Information. In the same period you must tell the tenant in writing the property address, the deposit amount and date, the date it went into a scheme, and the scheme's details. You also confirm your landlord registration and say when you might keep some of the deposit.
Penalty. The First-tier Tribunal for Scotland must order the landlord to pay the tenant "an amount not exceeding three times the amount of the tenancy deposit". Source: Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011, regulation 10. mygov.scot says the tenant can apply during the tenancy or up to 3 months after it ends.
Cap. mygov.scot says you can ask for a deposit of up to 2 months' rent. Source: mygov.scot, tenancy deposits for landlords.

Some lets do not need a scheme, for example when you live in the property or return the whole deposit within 30 working days. For notice and eviction rules, see Scotland's private residential tenancy.

Northern Ireland

nidirect says a deposit "must be protected in an approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme within 28 days of receiving the deposit." Source: nidirect, tenancy deposit scheme information for landlords.

Information. The tenant must get the prescribed information "within the period of 35 days beginning with the date on which the deposit is received". Source: Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, article 5B.
Penalty. Breaking article 5B is an offence with a fine of up to £20,000 on summary conviction. Missing either deadline is a continuing offence for as long as it lasts.
Dates. The 28 and 35 day limits apply from 1 April 2023. Before then they were 14 and 28 days.

From 1 April 2023 a deposit in Northern Ireland is also capped at one month's rent. See the Northern Ireland Private Tenancies Act guide.

Track the deadline with Letbook

Letbook is a compliance tracker for landlords in all four nations. Letbook adds a deposit protection item to each tenancy, with that nation's deadline in its description, and keeps the deposit amount, scheme and reference with the tenancy. Sign up free.

Sources

Facts checked on 25 October 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.