If the tenancy started on or after 6 April 2007 the deposit must have been held by an authorised account holder under the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), details of which must have been given to you within 14 days of the start of your tenancy.

If it is not held under a TDS you should sue your landlord in the County Court who will award you the return of the deposit and compensation against your landlord for his breach of the TDS regulations amounting to three times the value of the deposit. The landlord can possibly avoid the compensation payment by paying the deposit into a TDS however.

We can write a letter of claim to your landlord and draft proceedings for you to issue and serve for a fixed fee of £400 + VAT.

If your landlord forced you to leave the property early you have a claim for damages for unlawful eviction pursuant to the Protection from Eviction Act. Your local authority's housing department may also prosecute him if you advise them of the circumstances surrounding the matter.

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