Tenant deposit disputes down so far this year

July 2, 2020

The number of rental deposit disputes lodged with Hamilton Fraser’s government-authorised deposit scheme, mydeposits, has fallen by -15% across England so far this year.

Analysis of the data by Hamilton Fraser’s sister company and deposit replacement provider Ome found that London, the South East and the North East have all seen the largest drop in deposit disputes (-23%) so far in 2020 when compared to the same time last year.

Deposit disputes are also down in the West Midlands (-16%), Yorkshire and the Humber (-11%), East of England (-8%) and the North West (-2%).

The East Midlands (11%) and the South West (18%) are the only regions to see an increase in deposit disputes in comparison to the same time frame last year.

While London has seen one of the largest declines it is still home to the most disputes. The capital accounts for 37% of all disputes lodged so far this year, with the South East (16%) and South West (10%) also accounting for a large percentage.

At 2%, the North East is home to the lowest number of deposit disputes as a percentage of all disputes in England.

The main reason for withholding a deposit has been for post-tenancy cleaning, which accounts for 26% of all deposit disputes. Damage to the property and the deposit not being returned in the first place are also some of the most common reasons that deposits were withheld (20%).

The average deposit amount being disputed has remained unchanged at £811, however, there has been a slight swing in the proportion of deposit being awarded.

On average, tenants are being awarded 2% less of the average deposit when compared to last year, while landlords are receiving 2% more on the average deposit dispute.

That said, tenants are still being awarded 67% of their deposit via the average dispute claim.

Table shows the percentage increase in deposits between Jan and May of this year and last year, as well as the current percentage of total deposits by region.
Location
Percentage increase in disputes year on year
Current disputes as a percentage of total
Jan-May 2019 to Jan-May 2020
Jan-May 2020
London
-23%
37%
South East
-23%
16%
South West
18%
10%
North West
-2%
9%
East of England
-8%
8%
East Midlands
11%
6%
West Midlands
-16%
6%
Yorkshire and the Humber
-11%
4%
North East
-23%
2%
England
-15%
N/A
Table shows the average amount of a deposit being disputed and the year on year change.
Location
Average amounts disputed
Percentage increase year on year
Jan-May 2020
Jan-May 2019 to Jan-May 2020
East Midlands
£696
3.4%
East of England
£916
9.0%
London
£1,338
-1.4%
North East
£597
-9.4%
North West
£605
-9.3%
South East
£1,033
8.2%
South West
£706
-5.6%
West Midlands
£784
-2.9%
Yorkshire and the Humber
£620
4.3%
England
£810.5
-0.1%
Table shows the percentage of disputed deposit awarded to both tenant and landlord and the annual change
Location
Average amount of deposit awarded to Tenants
Change %
Average amount of deposit awarded to Landlords
Change %
(Jan to May 2020)
(Jan to May 2020)
East Midlands
68%
-2%
32%
2%
East of England
64%
-5%
36%
5%
London
72%
-2%
28%
2%
North East
64%
7%
36%
-7%
North West
62%
-3%
38%
3%
South East
69%
0%
31%
0%
South West
65%
-4%
35%
4%
West Midlands
73%
6%
27%
-6%
Yorkshire and the Humber
58%
-11%
42%
11%
England
67%
-2%
33%
2%
Table shows the reason for all disputed deposit by region and nationally
Location
Cleaning
Damage to property
Deposit not returned
Redecoration
Missing items
Other deductions
Rent arrears
East Midlands
32%
18%
25%
13%
3%
9%
1%
East of England
27%
14%
24%
20%
2%
10%
3%
London
22%
24%
18%
16%
6%
12%
3%
North East
26%
22%
20%
20%
4%
10%
0%
North West
30%
20%
17%
18%
5%
8%
3%
South East
31%
22%
17%
15%
4%
8%
3%
South West
32%
18%
18%
20%
3%
8%
1%
West Midlands
25%
11%
41%
18%
2%
2%
1%
Yorkshire and the Humber
22%
22%
19%
25%
4%
6%
2%
England
26%
20%
20%
17%
4%
9%
2%

Properganda PR

National and local media coverage for property businesses. Journo quotes delivered in minutes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Rights Act: Key changes renters need to know — new rules start on 1 May 2026

The Renters’ Rights Act is a major overhaul of the rules that govern renting in England, the biggest in decades. Propertymark, the UK’s leading body for property professionals, wants renters to understand what’s coming and how it will affect them. The next wave of changes under the Act will take effect on 1 May 2026.…
Read More →
Breaking News

What Would Make Me Stay: How Tenants Are Redefining What Home Really Means

68% of tenants say the single biggest factor that would make them stay in their rental home long term is the relationship with their landlord or agent, above rent levels, location, or the quality of the property itself. That is the headline finding from LRG’s Winter 2025/26 Lettings Report, and it points to something the…
Read More →
Breaking News

Competition for rented homes falls to lowest level in six years

More homes for rent and a drop in demand eases the pressure on renters Competition for rental homes falls to six year low with 4.8 enquiries per property Increased supply sees the number of homes available for rent up 11% on last year Meanwhile demand for rental properties falls 14% year-on-year on lower migration and…
Read More →
Breaking News

Mortgage lending now supports 30% of housing stock

Mortgage lending now underpins 30% of England’s housing stock, rising to as high as 42% in the country’s most mortgage-reliant locations. At the same time, many areas of the market have seen a notable increase in the number of homes owned with a mortgage over the last three years, highlighting the continued strength and resilience…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Is it worth buying a fixer-upper property?

The latest research from eXp UK reveals that fixer-upper homes can be picked up for an average saving of more than £44,000, but when the cost of renovating the property is accounted for do homebuyers actually stand to make a saving? And what chance do buyers have of finding one on today’s market? Fixer-uppers are…
Read More →
Breaking News

Nottingham letting agents are the busiest in Britain

The latest research from Propoly reveals that across Britain’s major cities, there are an average of 13.5 rental listings for each single letting agency branch, with the nation’s busiest agents found in Nottingham where this figure climbs to 35 properties per professional. Propoly has analysed the estimated number of current rental listings in 21 of…
Read More →