Tenancy Deposit - will I get it back?

[FlatulentStarfish]

Here's the scenario. I entered a tenancy agreement with my landlord, through a letting agency, and took the tenancy on for one year until March 2010.

In the meantime, the landlord and I have privately agreed for me to buy the house and it should complete at the end of this month.

We've agreed I'll pay rent proportionally up until the 30 September. The landlord would like us both to give notice to the letting agency that I will be moving away so therefore we do not need to do a checkout and landlord will not be letting the property again.

This is so he won't have to pay any more fees to the letting agent.

I am happy to do this but I don't know if I'll get my deposit back. I'm not sure where my deposit is held although I do know it is protected by a tenancy deposit scheme by the Dispute Service. I've e-mailed them to ask what my rights are but I get the impression it will take days to get a reply.

So I wondered if any MNetters might know the answer instead or can advise me.

I can go to the landlord and ask him but he is a bit wiley and tricky so I want to know my rights first before I start negotiating!

Thanks in advance for any help!

the tenancy is coming to an end - you and LL have agreed that it will end earlier than the expiry date - and the deposit is repayable at the end of the tenancy. So, yes, you should get it back.

There are 3 registered deposit schemes, and each of them has a 'dispute service'. If you check your paperwork you should be able to find their website address, which may have FAQs to help you out.

Thanks Iheartdusty I have just checked my tenancy paperwork and it says my deposit is held by the letting agents (who are a firm of Estate Agents) and protected by The Dispute Service.

I think that means I'll need to contact the letting agents and ask for the deposit when I agree to end the tenancy.

This means I shouldn't have to involve the landlord.

Big relief, thanks for that I hadn't thought of checking there!

you need to read your contract very carefully as if you are withdrawing from the contract before six months for example he may be allowed to keep the deposit. sorry, but i would be really careful on this one.