Deposit Refund Request Letter

What is a deposit refund request letter?

A deposit refund request letter is an official communication sent by the tenant to the landlord to request the return of the deposit upon termination of residential tenancy or commercial lease agreement.

The present request for deposit letter can only be sent in a situation:

• there is no unpaid rent;
• there is no damage to the property;
• the original tenancy agreement has already expired, and
• the tenant has already vacated the property.

Using this sample letter request for deposit refund helps tenants across the UK to request the return of the deposit in a compliant, professional and polite manner.

What should a deposit refund request include?

A good sample deposit request letter​ must include the following information:

• Sender’s Details. The text of the letter should outline a full name and contact details of a single or joint tenants.
• Property Details. The letter should include information about the property location, date of the original tenancy or lease agreement, and date on which the property as vacated by the tenant.
• Refund Request. It is important to clearly outline the purpose of the letter, amount of the deposit to be returned, as well as the final deadline for such a return.
• Date & Signature. Once the letter is ready, it should be signed and dated.

Common Reasons for Deposit Disputes

Request for refund under the tenancy or lodger agreement in the UK can be postponed, delayed or refused for the following reasons:

Return Period

Depending on the property location, the timeline for the return of the security deposit may differ:

• If the property is located in England or Wales, the landlord shall return the deposit within 5 business days after the property is vacated.
• If the property is located in Northern Ireland, the landlord should have up to 28 days to return the deposit once the property is located.
• If the property is located in Scotland, the tenant should notify the relevant deposit schema provider about the termination of the tenancy and the return of the deposit.

Therefore, prior to sending this deposit return request letter, make sure the deadline of the deposit return has expired.

Damage of Property

Before sending this letter requesting deposit back from landlord​ make sure that the landlord does not plan to withhold the deposit due to property’s damage. It is better first to reach the landlord directly to find out the exact reason the deposit is not being released on time.

Payment Method

In England the deposit request letter can sometimes be used by tenants to notify the landlord about the exact payment method to be used to return the deposit. Some landlords may not want to use old banking details to send back the deposit in order to prevent funds from being credited to a third party’s bank account.

Benefits of using a professional deposit refund request letter

By customising this deposit request letter template​ with FasterDraft, you get a personalised letter template:

• that is suitable for application in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland;
• that is compatible with the best practices of the UK rental market;
• that is fully compliant with Housing Act 2004 (England), Tenancy Deposit Scheme (Scotland) and Tenancy Deposit (Norther Ireland);
• that is suitable for various types of tenancy or lodger agreements;
• that is suitable for different types of properties, including residential or commercial.

How to customise this sample deposit request letter​?

To get a fully customisable document template, follow a few easy steps below:

1. Click the “Create Document” button.
2. Answer simple questions in the form.
3. Select a template’s format – a request for a deposit letter​ PDF or Word.
4. E-sign the letter online.
5. Make a payment.

The letter template is ready for instant download and immediate use after the purchase.