Transferring a deposit

[Mrs Dingle]

Is it possible to transfer a deposit between two properties that are both registered with the dps, the same tenant and the same landlord.. Or do I have to go through the procedure of refunding and re-securing the deposit with the dps. The new website for the dps is very vague and unhelpful.

[RedHitman]

I’ve just done exactly this.
Yes, you have to refund the deposit, you can’t simply change the address (which is what I wanted to do).

What we did though to make it quicker and easier, I made a claim for the full amount and the tenant agreed to it. The money came directly to me and I will reprotect it just before the new tenancy starts.

[nukecad]

Whether or not it would be possible; surely it's safer legally for you to refund and then retake/resecure the deposit.

It would then be clear that it's a new deposit, for a new tenancy, in a different property, so would avoid any possible confusion if problems arise in the future.

[jpkeates]

It's a new tenancy, so, presumably there may be deductions to agree for the old tenancy.

And, while you didn't ask this, don't forget the do all the other new tenancy documentation, smoke alarm testing etc.

[Mrs Dingle]

Thank-you for your replies. Very helpful. I tried to send an e-mail to the dps today using their link and both times it was a postmaster failure. So the address is incorrect. I find the new deposit website very annoying. It looks like I will need to take another deposit from the tenant to start the new tenancy. It took 10 days for the last deposit I claimed to be refunded. That tenant had real problems doing their bit on the website.

R.E. smoke alarm testing etc. lol You mean put batteries in the smoke alarms that the tenant has removed. It beggars belief that a tenant would remove batteries in a house where children are sleeping but they do!

[jpkeates]

R.E. smoke alarm testing etc. lol You mean put batteries in the smoke alarms that the tenant has removed. It beggars belief that a tenant would remove batteries in a house where children are sleeping but they do!

You need to check the alarms are working on the first day of the new tenancy (minimum of one per residential floor) and agree with the tenant that they will periodically check them (otherwise you have to).

Which usually involves replacing the batteries the tenants removed when they started beeping to say they were low, yes.


Nowadays I fit 10 year sealed units where there's no need to replace the batteries.

[MdeB]

What we did though to make it quicker and easier, I made a claim for the full amount and the tenant agreed to it. The money came directly to me and I will reprotect it just before the new tenancy starts.

That is what I have always done