When I first spoke to Remedy, I'd accepted my deposit was gone.
Pat's situation
Pat left his student flat in Birmingham over a year ago. Since then, his attempts to get back his rental deposit only resulted in delays, excuses, and outright being ignored.
He tried upwards of 20 emails, texts, and phone calls. His letting agent bounced responsibility to a 'missing' landlord.
Pat tried ChatGPT and Google, but remained unsure what to do next, feeling powerless. Between the stresses of moving to London and finding a new job, he missed the 3-month window to raise his dispute with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS).
Then, a friend recommended he sign up to Remedy.
How Remedy helped Pat recover his deposit
After running through his situation on Remedy, it became clear that the letting agent had failed to follow proper procedures, and had no right to keep Pat's deposit.
Remedy pointed Pat to the relevant laws, linked to online guidance, and explained how it all applied to his situation. It then supported him through collecting the appropriate evidence.
Finally, Remedy generated a well-formatted letter. It wasn't another email by ChatGPT, the sort Pat's letting agents had been happily ignoring. It showed that Pat now understood his position, and was willing to proceed with legal action if needed.
The outcome: over £1,000 returned within 24 hours, not a single unfair deduction.
3 lessons if you're struggling to get a deposit returned
Pat spent nearly a year trying to recover his deposit. You don't have to. A few key lessons to keep in mind:
- You shouldn't accept silence from letting agents or landlords
- The scheme's dispute deadline is not the end of the road
- Landlords and letting agents don't want to go to court
Pat's letting agent stalled, ignored, and bounced around responsibility, hoping he would give up. When it feels like emailing a brick wall, it can be tough to see a path forward. If you have a valid claim, don't let that stop you.
Most schemes give you around three months from the end of your tenancy to raise a dispute for free. If your landlord held the deposit themselves rather than the scheme holding it, they have to agree to that free process first. Deadlines vary, so check with your scheme. Missing that window doesn't mean you've lost.
You can still bring a claim in the County Court small claims track, and that route stays open for six years from the end of your tenancy. The process can feel intimidating, but the deadline gives you room.
Agents and landlords often hope you give up rather than push to enforce your rights. As soon as Pat made it clear he was serious, he received his deposit back almost immediately. The agent knew they had no case, and that it would be on them to justify why they had withheld the money for so long.
If your deposit is stuck, Remedy can check whether the deductions hold up and draft the letter that gets it moving.
