Many landlords require payment of a bond or deposit.
The amount charged by landlords varies but it is often equivalent to one months' rent.
All bonds paid after 6 April 2007 must be paid in to a Government authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme. The landlord must put the bond in one of the schemes within 30 days of receiving it. The aim of the scheme is to protect a tenant's money and to ensure that any money deducted at the end of the year is done fairly.
If your landlord does not use one of these schemes to protect your bond, you can ask the County Court to order your landlord to do so. The County Court may also order the landlord to pay three times the bond back to you in way of compensation and punishment.