Although the Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) 2025 introduced wide changes to tenancy law from 1 May 2026, it didn’t replace the well-established deposit protection regime under the Housing Act 2004 and the Tenant Fees Act.
That means:
- You still must protect a tenant’s security deposit in a government‑approved tenancy deposit protection scheme (e.g., Tenancy Deposit Scheme, MyDeposits, or DPS).
- You must serve the prescribed information (the deposit protection details) to the tenant within the statutory deadline (typically 30 days from receiving the deposit).
So your basic deposit-handling procedures remain rooted in the same rules that applied before the RRA came into force, but compliance is now even more crucial due to the broader enforcement powers under the new tenancy regime.
1. Deposits must be protected and kept protected
- If you take a deposit, it must be put into a government-approved deposit scheme promptly (within 30 days).
- You must keep that deposit protected for the duration of the tenancy. If there’s any material change (e.g., assignment of the tenancy, change of landlord), the scheme must be updated and the tenant notified.
2. Prescribed information must be served correctly
Simply protecting the deposit isn’t enough — you must provide prescribed information to the tenant, which includes:
- The name and contact details of the deposit scheme
- How the deposit is protected
- How the tenant can get their deposit back at the end of the tenancy
- What to do if there’s a dispute
If this information isn’t served properly, it can lead to financial penalties and affect your legal rights under the tenancy.
3. Existing deposits before 1 May 2026 continue to be compliant
If you have tenants whose ASTs automatically converted to assured periodic tenancies under the RRA:
- You do not need to re-protect those deposits solely because of that change.
- The protection and prescribed information already provided continue to carry through as long as they were compliant.
4. The RRA adds enforcement importance
Under the Renters’ Rights Act:
- A court may only grant a possession order if a deposit was protected properly or has been returned to the tenant (either fully, or with agreed and documented deductions).
This means failure to protect a deposit properly can directly affect your ability to regain possession of a property under the new eviction regime, not just lead to a fine.
5. Document everything clearly
The RRA emphasises clear, written information to tenants. In addition to prescribed deposit information:
- You must provide the official Renters’ Rights Act information sheet to all existing tenants by 31 May 2026.
- Good records of deposit protection, notifications, and communications help demonstrate compliance if ever challenged.
