Landlord Not Returning Your Deposit? Here's What Tenants Can Do
Deposit delays are common. Disputes often come down to evidence and timing. Many tenants lose not because they're wrong, but because their records are incomplete.
Why Deposits Are Often Withheld
Most deposit disputes don't involve bad landlords or dishonest tenants. They happen because of genuine disagreement about condition.
- •Cleaning disagreements — Was it clean enough? Standards vary.
- •Damage claims without "before" photos — If there's no record from move-in, proving pre-existing damage is hard.
- •Missed deadlines — Disputes about notice periods, inspection timing, or handover dates.
- •Conflicting photos — Both sides have photos, but they were taken at different times or don't match.
Why Evidence Matters More Than Arguments
When a dispute goes to a deposit scheme or mediator, they don't decide based on who argues better. They look at evidence.
Photos without clear timing are often disputed. A photo could have been taken months before or after — there's no way to tell.
Records created after the disagreement started are weaker. Evidence carries more weight when it was created at the time, before anyone knew there'd be a dispute.
Organised, complete records are more credible than scattered photos in a phone gallery.
What Tenants Can Do Immediately
If you're dealing with a deposit dispute right now, here's what you can do:
Gather your move-in and move-out photos
Find everything you have. Phone photos, emails with attachments, inventory reports.
Check when and how your records were created
Look at file metadata. Note dates clearly. Gaps in coverage matter.
Organise your documents and key dates
Lease dates, deposit amount, correspondence about the dispute.
Avoid altering or re-uploading old files
Re-saving a photo changes its metadata. Keep originals.
How RentVault Helps
RentVault is a tool for organising rental documentation. Here's what it does:
Stores photos and documents in one place
Organised by room and phase (check-in, handover). Easy to find months later.
Applies system timestamps when evidence is sealed
When you complete a phase, records are locked with a timestamp. You can't backdate or edit.
Keeps records unchanged after completion
Sealed evidence is immutable. What you uploaded is what stays.
Generates a clear, shareable summary
Download a PDF report with all photos, timestamps, and property details in one document.
Start organising your records
Free to organise. Pay only if you need official exports.
Common Questions
Can I use this if I already moved out?
Yes. You can upload existing photos and documents. However, records uploaded later will have later timestamps. Evidence is stronger when created at the time.
What if my landlord took their own photos?
Having your own independent record is valuable. When both parties have photos, disputes often come down to timing, clarity, and completeness.
Do landlords get access to my files?
No. Your RentVault account is private. You choose what to share and when.
If you're dealing with this right now, organising your records early can make a real difference.
Start free with RentVault