Tenancy Deposit Prescribed Information is a statutory document that landlords and letting agents in England must serve on tenants of assured shorthold tenancies within 30 days of receiving the deposit. The legal requirement is set out in section 213 of the Housing Act 2004 and given detailed form by the Housing (Tenancy Deposits) (Prescribed Information) Order 2007 (SI 2007/797).

The prescribed information document informs the tenant: which government-authorised deposit protection scheme the landlord has used; the scheme's reference or certificate number (which the tenant can use to verify the protection online); the contact details and website of the scheme; details of the scheme's free Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service for resolving deposit disputes at the end of the tenancy; the circumstances in which the landlord may make deductions from the deposit; and the landlord's (and agent's) contact details.

All three government-authorised schemes — the Deposit Protection Service (DPS), MyDeposits, and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) — offer both custodial options (where the scheme holds the deposit funds) and insured options (where the landlord retains the deposit but the scheme provides insurance). In all cases, the tenant should receive the prescribed information within 30 days of the tenancy commencing and should retain it for the duration of the tenancy and beyond, as it will be needed if a deposit dispute arises at the end of the tenancy.

The prescribed information is separate from (but closely related to) the tenancy agreement itself. It is served alongside the scheme's own information leaflet, which each scheme is required to produce and keep updated. This template is designed for use in England only; different rules apply in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Prescribed information must be served by every residential landlord in England who takes a deposit for an assured shorthold tenancy (AST). The obligation applies automatically to any payment taken as security against damage, unpaid rent, or breach of the tenancy agreement — regardless of what the payment is called.

The most common situations requiring this document include: the grant of a new fixed-term or periodic AST where a deposit has been collected; the renewal or replacement of an existing AST (even if the amount of the deposit has not changed); a change in letting agent or deposit protection scheme during the tenancy (requiring re-protection and re-service); and situations where a deposit was originally protected correctly but the prescribed information was not served or was served incorrectly (for example, missing information about the ADR service or the wrong scheme reference number).

The 30-day deadline runs from the date the landlord actually receives the deposit, not from the date of the tenancy agreement. If a deposit is held by a letting agent, it is the landlord's responsibility to ensure that the deposit is protected and that the prescribed information is served — although in practice agents often handle this on the landlord's behalf.

Landlords should also be aware that the prescribed information must be re-served each time a new fixed-term tenancy is entered into, even if the deposit amount and scheme remain unchanged. This is confirmed by the Supreme Court decision in Superstrike Ltd v Rodrigues [2013] EWCA Civ 669, as subsequently clarified by the Deregulation Act 2015. For periodic tenancies that arose automatically at the end of a fixed-term tenancy entered into before 6 April 2007, additional transitional rules may apply.

A compliant Tenancy Deposit Prescribed Information document for England must contain all of the elements required by the Housing (Tenancy Deposits) (Prescribed Information) Order 2007 (SI 2007/797).

The property and tenancy section identifies the rental property by its full address and postcode, states the tenancy commencement date, and confirms the type of tenancy (e.g. assured shorthold tenancy).

The deposit details section records the total amount of the deposit in pounds, the date on which it was received by the landlord or agent, and a confirmation that the deposit does not exceed the cap imposed by the Tenant Fees Act 2019 (five weeks' rent where annual rent is below £50,000; six weeks' rent where annual rent is £50,000 or above).

The scheme details section is the core of the prescribed information. It must state: the full name of the government-authorised scheme (DPS, MyDeposits, or TDS); whether the scheme is custodial or insured; the scheme's unique certificate or deposit reference number; the date the deposit was registered with the scheme; and the scheme's contact address, telephone number, and website. The scheme type determines who holds the deposit funds and is therefore important for the tenant to know.

The Alternative Dispute Resolution section must identify the ADR service offered by the scheme and explain how disputes about deposit deductions can be referred to that service at no cost to the tenant.

The landlord and agent details section records the landlord's full name and address for service, telephone number, and email address. If a letting agent is involved, their details must also be included.

The deposit return conditions section explains the circumstances in which the landlord may make deductions from the deposit. These should be consistent with the terms of the tenancy agreement and may include: unpaid rent; damage to the property beyond fair wear and tear; cleaning costs; and breach of any term of the tenancy agreement.

The service and acknowledgment section records the date and method of service of the prescribed information, and provides a space for the tenant to acknowledge receipt. The tenant's acknowledgment signature is not legally required for the prescribed information to be valid, but it provides useful evidence in the event of a dispute.