Guides

Get your deposit back

The rules on rental deposits where you live: how much a landlord can ask for, when they must pay it back, what they can deduct, and what to do when they don't. Every guide links to its official sources.

Country guides

• Netherlands

  How to get your rental deposit back in the Netherlands

  The 14- and 30-day return deadlines, the two-month cap, and what to do if the money doesn't arrive.

• England & Wales

  Deposit disputes in England and Wales

  Deposit protection, the 10-day return rule, and the free dispute service.

• Ireland

  Getting your deposit back in Ireland

  The one-month cap, what a landlord may deduct, and how the RTB dispute service works.

• Germany

  Getting your Kaution back in Germany

  The three-month cap, how long a landlord may keep it, and the six-month rule for damage claims.

Free tools

• Calculator

  When must your landlord pay back your deposit?

  Enter your country and move-out date to see the deadline.

From the blog

• 2026-09-30

  The move-in photo checklist: what to photograph before you unpack

  A room-by-room list of the photos that settle deposit disputes, and how to take them so they count as evidence.

• 2026-09-30

  Wear and tear or damage? How deposit deductions are judged

  What landlords can and can't charge for at the end of a tenancy, with examples from official guidance.

• 2026-09-30

  Your deposit wasn't returned: what to put in your first email

  A short, firm first message to your landlord, and what to do if it doesn't work.