How to Get Your Full Deposit Back: The UK Tenant's Checklist

Getting your full deposit back rarely comes down to luck. It comes down to evidence. The renters who walk away with everything they paid are almost always the ones who documented the property properly on day one and again on the day they left.

Start before you move a single box

The strongest deposit claims are built at the very start of the tenancy. Photograph every room, every existing mark, scuff and stain, and make sure each image is dated. This becomes your baseline — proof of exactly how the property looked before you lived in it.

Keep the place broadly as you found it

You're entitled to "fair wear and tear," so you don't need the property to be spotless. But you do need it returned in a comparable condition to your move-in evidence, allowing for reasonable everyday use.

Document the move-out too

On your last day, repeat the same photos room by room. A clear before-and-after pair is the single most persuasive thing you can put in front of a deposit scheme adjudicator.

A timestamped MyTenancyFile report gives you that before-and-after record automatically.