If you rent privately or from a housing association you may have to pay a deposit before you can move in. Your deposit is usually a month's rent, but it can be more. Your landlord holds the deposit in case you damage the property. Housing Executive tenants won't have to pay a deposit.

About deposits

If you rent privately or from a housing association you may have to pay a deposit. If you rent from the Housing Executive you won’t have to pay a deposit. You can't usually withhold your last month's rent instead of getting your deposit back. More

Help with your deposit

For people trying to rent privately, getting enough money for a deposit is sometimes a problem. If you don't have money for a deposit there may be a deposit scheme in your area which can help you. The way these schemes work varies from one scheme to another. Most schemes have a list of landlords who have properties available. More

Making an inventory

Having an inventory is important if you want to get your deposit back. It can help avoid any problems with your landlord when you move out. More

Getting your deposit back

When you leave your accommodation you will want to get your deposit back. This section explains what to do to get your deposit back, and what to do if your landlord refuses to give you back your deposit. More