Free tool
Deposit protection deadline calculator
You have 30 days from receiving a deposit to protect it and serve the prescribed information. Enter the date and see exactly where you stand.
The 30 days run from the date you (or your agent) received the money — not the tenancy start date.
Deadlines like this are exactly what HouseFile tracks for you.
HouseFile keeps every document in one place, tracks expiry dates, and creates timestamped evidence tenants actually received them.
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Why the 30-day rule matters more now
Deposit protection isn’t new law — but with Section 21 abolished under the Renters’ Rights Act, every possession claim now runs through Section 8 grounds and the court’s scrutiny of your compliance. An unprotected deposit doesn’t just risk a penalty of one to three times the deposit; it can stall or block the possession claim itself.
The two most common ways landlords get caught out: protecting the deposit but never serving the prescribed information (both are required, within the same 30 days), and having no proof the tenant actually received it. A protected deposit with no evidence of service is still a live risk years later.
Read more: the 30-day rule explained and what happens if a landlord doesn’t protect the deposit.
General guidance for landlords in England, not legal advice. Last reviewed July 2026.