Our homes are important to all of us – and moving from one home to another can be considered a major lifetime event. So there is nothing more stressful than when moving does not go according to plan. One of the potential issues we have seen in our 30 years of letting property, is the return of the tenancy deposit at the end of a tenancy agreement.

While we have an obligation to our landlords to ensure the property is kept in good condition throughout our management, we also want our tenants to feel safe and protected and have the smoothest possible experience moving in and out. That is why we have created this guide to help you understand your rights and obligations as a tenant when it comes to deposits.

Your tenancy deposit is kept with a third party

At Caledonia Property, all deposits are kept with Deposit Scotland for the duration of your tenancy, which means your money is kept safely and according to the current laws. We also make sure to present you with an inventory at the beginning and the end of tenancy – which will help prevent any potential misunderstandings.

The deposit schemes are a legal requirement and were created by the government for the safety of tenants in mind and what that means is that the deposit is not with us as property managers, nor in the landlord’s pocket, but with a third party – until the tenancy runs out.

Steps to take to ensure your deposit is returned

In our experience one of the main issues that arise between landlords and tenants is the cleanliness of the property at the end of tenancy. Photos of the property at the beginning and end of tenancy always help with such issues. There are a host of other situations in which the landlord can be entitled to withhold a deposit either fully or partially – for instance if any rent is still due – and it is well worth keeping yourself informed. Our team manages over 400 properties and we are happy to provide support and information on recuperating your tenancy deposit.

You have not been returned your full tenancy deposit, what is there to do?

The Caledonia Bureau team will try to mediate any disagreements between landlords and tenants – and we will try our best to help both parties reach a solution. The next step you can take in case of disagreements is to use the dispute resolution service (find out more about the Dispute Resolution Centre in Scotland here).

For the protection of tenants’ interest, The Dispute Resolution Centre, as an objective third party, will analyze your complaint and make a decision on whether any amounts are to be returned to you. The dispute resolution centre will look at your claim and decide on whether you are due full deposit or partial deposit and what the amounts to be retained are, if any.

If you feel you are due further compensation beyond deposit amount, you have the option to take the case to legal court, with the advice of a solicitor.

As one of West of Scotland’s longest established estate agents, we’ve helped families across the country buy, rent, let and sell properties quickly, and with the minimum of hassle. Get in touch with our team on 0333 241 3333 today or send us a message to find out more.