Your deposit must be protected within 30 days
Your landlord or agent must put your deposit in a government-approved scheme (Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits or Tenancy Deposit Scheme) within 30 days of getting it, and give you information about where it is protected. If you're not sure, contact the schemes to check. If it wasn't protected, write to your landlord first; you can also apply to your county court (form N208), which can order the deposit repaid or protected and the landlord to pay you up to three times the deposit.
Source: GOV.UK: Tenancy deposit protection. Checked 18/10/2026.
Check your contract against this
Legal information, not legal advice. For your own situation, Shelter (england.shelter.org.uk) and Citizens Advice (citizensadvice.org.uk) give free advice.