Deposit Defender
Get Started — $29

Watch it work — real example

This is a live demo with sample data. You'll do the same with your own deductions.

Step 1 of 5
Enter your deposit and scheme details
$1,200
TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme)
15 March 2023
15 March 2025 (2 years)
Yes — but photos are poor quality
Step 2 of 5
Enter what your landlord claimed
Cleaning (carpets, oven, windows)
Landlord says: "professional deep clean needed"
-$250
Bedroom carpet replacement
Landlord says: "burns and stains beyond repair"
-$400
Repainting living room
Landlord says: "marks on walls, needed full repaint"
-$180
Total claimed
-$830
Step 3 of 5
The app applies the legal tests
Cleaning — $250
⚠ Challengeable — strong case
Fair Wear & Tear
After 2 years of tenancy, some cleaning is expected. Landlord cannot charge for returning the property to "as new" condition — this is betterment, which is not permitted.
Inventory Quality
Check-in inventory photos are poor quality — weak evidence of starting condition. Adjudicators regularly dismiss cleaning claims where the inventory doesn't prove the property was professionally clean at start.
Estimated recovery: $200-$250
Bedroom carpet — $400
⚠ Challengeable — strong case
Lifespan Rule
Standard carpet lifespan: 10 years. If carpet was 8 years old at end of tenancy, landlord can only charge for 20% of replacement (2/10 remaining life) = $80, not $400.
Betterment
Replacing an old carpet with a new one is betterment. The landlord is in a better position than at the start — not allowed.
Estimated recovery: $320
Repainting — $180
✓ Strong case — full challenge
Decoration Lifespan
Interior paint lifespan: 3-5 years. After a 2-year tenancy, some marks are fair wear and tear. Full repaint is betterment — partial touch-up at most is justifiable.
Estimated recovery: $180
Step 4 of 5
Add your evidence references
📷
Photo 1-4: Check-out photos showing carpet condition (minor wear, no burns visible)
📄
Inventory p.3: Check-in inventory notes "carpet approximately 6 years old" — proves lifespan argument
📄
Inventory p.7: Living room noted as "recently painted" at check-in — weakens repainting claim
🧹
Receipt: Professional clean carried out on 10 March 2025 ($80) — proves property was left clean
📧
Email: Landlord response to query about carpet age (confirms 6 years at start)
Step 5 of 5
Your dispute pack is ready
✓ Estimated recovery: $700-$830 of $830 claimed
📄 Statement of Dispute — ready to submit to TDS

1. Cleaning — $250

I dispute this deduction in full. After a 2-year tenancy, routine cleaning is fair wear and tear. The property was professionally cleaned on 10 March 2025 (receipt attached, Exhibit A). The check-in inventory photos are of insufficient quality to establish that the property was in a cleaner condition at the start of the tenancy. The landlord's claim for "professional deep clean" constitutes betterment — seeking to return the property to a standard beyond its condition at check-in.

Evidence: Exhibit A (cleaning receipt), Exhibit B (check-out photos 1-4), Exhibit C (check-in inventory p.2)

2. Bedroom carpet replacement — $400

I dispute $320 of this deduction. The check-in inventory (p.3) states the carpet was approximately 6 years old at the start of the tenancy, making it 8 years old at end of tenancy. Standard carpet lifespan is 10 years. The landlord may only claim for the remaining 2 years of expected life — 20% of $400 = $80. Charging $400 for full replacement of an 8-year-old carpet constitutes betterment.

Evidence: Exhibit C (inventory p.3 — carpet age), Exhibit D (email confirming carpet age), Exhibit B (check-out photos showing no burns)

3. Repainting living room — $180

I dispute this deduction in full. The check-in inventory (p.7) describes the living room as "recently painted" at the start of the tenancy. Interior paint has a 3-5 year lifespan. After 2 years, minor marks constitute fair wear and tear. A full repaint is betterment — the landlord is improving the property beyond its check-in condition.

Evidence: Exhibit C (inventory p.7 — "recently painted"), Exhibit B (check-out photos 5-8 showing minor marks only)

📦 Your dispute pack includes:
  • Statement of Dispute (above) — one section per deduction
  • Evidence index with exhibit references (A through D)
  • Cover letter to TDS — formatted, ready to print
  • Letter to landlord/agent — requesting return before escalation
  • Submission checklist — what to print, sign, and send

That's the whole process.
15 minutes. Done.

The app wrote a formal, court-ready demand letter using real legal tests. No lawyer. No hours of stressful writing. Just answer the questions and download.

$29 — one-time

No subscription. No hidden fees. Use it for this tenancy and every future one.

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