If the points below describe your situation, this is where we can help.
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Your tenancy has ended and the deposit hasn't come back
You've moved out, returned the keys, and asked — politely, then firmly. The landlord or agent is ignoring you, stalling, or has simply said no.
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The deductions don't add up
A full professional clean you've been charged for twice. "Damage" that's normal wear and tear. Redecoration of a flat that was tired when you moved in. Charges with no receipts, no quotes, and no inventory to back them up.
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The free scheme route has failed — or was never open to you
The landlord refuses to use the scheme's free dispute service (they're allowed to refuse), the scheme route has been exhausted, or you've discovered your deposit was never put in a scheme at all.
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Your deposit was never protected — and you've learned what that means
Landlords must put your deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days and give you the paperwork. If they didn't, a court can order them to return the deposit and pay you one to three times the deposit in compensation.
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A solicitor isn't proportionate for a claim this size
Most deposits are £700–£2,000. Solicitors charge more than that to run a small claim, and legal aid isn't available for money claims. The small claims track is designed for people representing themselves — what you need is the paperwork done properly.
Most deposit disputes are resolved without anyone going near a court — through a letter, or the schemes' free dispute service. Try these first, depending on where you are.
✓ Free routes by stage
We mean this — try these first. They cost nothing, and most deposit disputes never need to leave this list.
Just moved out and the landlord has gone quiet?
Ask for the deposit back in writing and keep a copy.
Shelter's step-by-step guide covers exactly what to say and when, and
Citizens Advice has the same ground in plain English. A clear written request resolves a surprising number of these.
Deposit is protected, but you dispute the deductions?
Every scheme runs a
free dispute resolution service — you and the landlord each submit evidence, an independent adjudicator decides, and the disputed money stays safe in the scheme until it's settled. It's free and you don't need a lawyer.
GOV.UK explains how it works.
One catch: the landlord can refuse to take part — if they do, court is the remaining route.
Not sure what a landlord can fairly deduct?
Shelter's deduction guide covers cleaning, damage, and the wear-and-tear line landlords can't cross. Worth reading before you decide whether to fight at all.
Want formal legal advice on whether to bring the claim?
Advocate (the Bar's pro bono unit) matches eligible litigants with barristers who advise for free, and
Law Centres advise on housing matters in many areas. Both have application processes — start early.
Scheme route refused, failed, or never available — and the landlord still has your money?
Court is the remaining route, and that's where we come in — see what's in a pack below.
Every pack is built around the specific facts of your tenancy — what you paid, what condition the property was in at each end, what's been deducted, and whether the deposit was protected. Here's what's in a typical pack.
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Letter Before Action
The formal letter the court expects you to send before issuing a claim — setting out what you're owed, why, and the deadline for payment. Many landlords pay at this point: it shows them you know the process and you're not going away.
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Particulars of Claim
The formal written claim — the facts, the amounts, and the legal basis, structured the way the court expects. Where your deposit was never protected, this includes the compensation claim under sections 213–214 of the Housing Act 2004 — the law that requires landlords to protect deposits within 30 days, and lets a court award you one to three times the deposit when they don't. Filed with Form N1 or through Money Claim Online.
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Witness Statement
Your signed, structured account — when you paid the deposit, the condition you left the property in, what you've asked for and what's been said. Ready to sign with a Statement of Truth.
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Chronology
A dated timeline from tenancy start to the latest correspondence — deposit paid, inventory done, notice given, keys returned, requests made, excuses received. Courts expect this in small claims bundles.
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Exhibit Index
Every piece of evidence you have — tenancy agreement, bank statement showing the deposit paid, check-in and check-out reports, photos, scheme search results, correspondence — numbered, described, and easy for a judge to navigate.
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Evidence Gap note
What's missing from your bundle and exactly where to find it before a hearing. For example: screenshots of all three scheme searches showing the deposit isn't protected, the move-out photos still sitting on your phone with their date stamps, or the original inventory you can request in writing from the letting agent.
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Document Usage Guide
A plain-English explanation of each document — what it does, when to send or file it, what to expect next. So you walk into the process knowing what every piece of paper is for.
Tier options — each tier builds on the one below.
- Essential (£99) — Chronology, Exhibit Index, Key Facts summary, Evidence Gap note, and Document Usage Guide. The full paper trail, indexed and ready to file. Suits anyone who has drafted their own letter and claim and just needs the supporting bundle prepared.
- Standard (£199) — Everything in Essential, plus a fully drafted Letter Before Action, Particulars of Claim, and Witness Statement (PDF and Word). The pack most deposit claimants need — and the letter alone settles a good share of these disputes.
- Full Pack (£299) — Everything in Standard, plus a Hearing Framework and one round of revisions. The right choice if the landlord has filed a defence or you already have a hearing date.
- Complex (£499) — Bespoke pack for cases that don't fit the standard pattern — a landlord counterclaiming for damage beyond the deposit, joint tenancies with several claimants, or unprotected deposits across renewed tenancies where more than one penalty may be in play.
Done asking? Let's put it in writing they can't ignore.
Upload your tenancy agreement, a bank statement showing the deposit paid, your deposit protection certificate or scheme emails (if you have any), the check-in and check-out reports, your move-out photos, and the correspondence so far. We'll prepare your Letter Before Action, Particulars of Claim, Witness Statement, Chronology, and Exhibit Index — usually within 5 working days, often faster.
Submit your case ↗
Everything below is reference material — the full list of documents that can appear in a deposit claim, court forms, an evidence checklist, and external resources — for anyone working through their case themselves.
The documents below appear most often in tenancy deposit cases. Not every case needs all of them — it depends on whether the landlord pays up at the letter stage, defends the claim, or counterclaims.
Core documents
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Letter Before Action Core
The formal pre-claim letter the court expects you to send first. Sets out the claim, the amount, and a deadline to pay.
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Particulars of Claim Core — if the letter doesn't resolve it
The formal statement of your claim filed with the court — the facts, the amounts, and the legal basis, including any Housing Act 2004 compensation claim.
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Witness Statement Core
Your signed, structured account of the tenancy, the condition of the property, and the deposit's journey — or lack of one.
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Chronology Core
A clear, dated timeline from tenancy start to the latest correspondence. Courts expect this.
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Bundle (small claims format) Core — for hearings
All your documents paginated, tabbed, and indexed in the format the court expects to receive them.
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Skeleton Argument / Hearing Summary Core — for hearings
A structured summary of your factual and legal points for the judge. Submitted before the hearing date.
Situational documents
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Reply and Defence to Counterclaim If the landlord counterclaims
Some landlords respond to a deposit claim by claiming damage costs above the deposit. This is your formal response.
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Directions Questionnaire (N180) After a defence is filed
The form both sides complete so the court can allocate the claim to a track and set directions. Small claims under £10,000 normally go to the small claims track.
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Subject Access Request (SAR) If an agent holds the records
A written request under data protection law to the letting agent or landlord for the records they hold — inventory reports, internal notes, and correspondence about your deposit.
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Application Notice (N244) If making an application
Used to ask the court for something — for example, to set aside a default judgment or adjourn a hearing.
⚠ Evidence people often forget to include
- Bank statement showing the deposit paid — the single most important document; it proves the deposit existed and the amount
- Check-in and check-out inventory reports — if you weren't given one, say so in writing and keep the reply; a landlord with no inventory has a much weaker basis for deductions
- Scheme search screenshots from all three schemes — dated screenshots showing the deposit isn't registered are your evidence it was never protected
- Deposit protection certificate and prescribed information — if you did receive them, the dates on them matter; late protection still breaches the rules
- Move-out photos and videos — taken on your phone with the date stamps intact, room by room, including meter readings
- Cleaning receipts — if you paid for a professional clean before leaving, the receipt directly rebuts a cleaning deduction
- The full message trail — emails, texts, and WhatsApps with the landlord or agent, including the ones where they promised to "sort it next week"
- Your tenancy agreement — including any renewals; each renewal may carry its own protection requirement
Each form below links directly to the official GOV.UK page. These descriptions explain what each form is for —
not whether you should file it. If you are unsure which step to take next, seek independent advice.
Online portals — submit or respond directly:
These organisations and websites may provide useful guidance on deposit disputes.
DocketWorks does not endorse any external site — these links are for information only.
Shelter — Tenancy DepositsFree step-by-step guides on getting your deposit back, disputing deductions, and compensation claims — updated for the law from May 2026
shelter.org.uk ↗
Citizens Advice — DepositsPlain-English guidance on deposit protection, getting your money back, and going to court when the rules weren't followed
citizensadvice.org.uk ↗
GOV.UK — Tenancy Deposit ProtectionThe official guide to the protection rules, the three schemes, and the free dispute service
gov.uk ↗
Deposit Protection Service (DPS)One of the three government-approved schemes — check if your deposit is registered, free
depositprotection.com ↗
mydepositsOne of the three government-approved schemes — free deposit checker for tenants
mydeposits.co.uk ↗
Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS)One of the three government-approved schemes — free deposit search and dispute service
tenancydepositscheme.com ↗
Housing Act 2004 — Chapter 4 (Tenancy Deposit Schemes)The statute behind deposit protection — sections 212–215, including the court's power to award one to three times the deposit
legislation.gov.uk ↗
Courts.uk — For Litigants in PersonPlain-English procedural reference for civil court procedures in England & Wales: forms guide, fee calculator, and step-by-step walkthroughs
courts.uk ↗
It's your money. Walk in ready to prove it.
Tell us about your tenancy and upload what you have — we'll flag anything missing before a single document is drafted.
Submit your case ↗
Important: DocketWorks is a document preparation service, not a law firm. The information on this page is procedural —
which documents exist, which forms apply, and where free help is available. What we cannot do is advise on the merits of your case:
whether your claim will succeed, or what a court is likely to award. For advice on the merits, speak to
Shelter,
Citizens Advice,
or a qualified housing solicitor.