Fulham Tenant’s Guide to Deposit Deductions: What Your Landlord Can and Cannot Charge For

Deposit disputes are one of the most common flashpoints between tenants and landlords in London. In Fulham, where a 1-bedroom flat deposit typically runs to £2,000–£3,500, getting this wrong is expensive. Many tenants lose money they should not — either because they do not know their rights, or because they did not gather the right evidence.

 

This guide explains exactly what a landlord can and cannot legally deduct from your deposit, how the deposit protection schemes work, what ‘fair wear and tear’ actually means in practice, and how to dispute an unfair deduction if one is made.

 

⚠️	Disclaimer This guide provides general information about tenancy deposit law in England. It is not legal advice. For specific disputes, consult Shelter, Citizens Advice, or a solicitor.

 

How Tenancy Deposits Work in England

Before anything else, your deposit must be protected. Under the Housing Act 2004, any landlord or letting agent taking a deposit for an Assured Shorthold Tenancy in England must protect it in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it and provide you with ‘Prescribed Information’ confirming where it is held.

 

The three government-approved schemes are:

• Deposit Protection Service (DPS)
• MyDeposits
• Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS)

 

⚠️	Critical If your deposit was NOT protected within 30 days, or you were not provided with Prescribed Information, you may be entitled to compensation of 1–3 times the deposit amount — regardless of any cleaning or damage issues. Check this first before engaging with any deduction claim.

 

What a Landlord CAN Deduct From Your Deposit

Landlords are entitled to make deductions for specific, provable reasons. They must provide evidence — not just a list of complaints.

 

Cleaning

A landlord can charge for professional cleaning if the property is returned in a worse state of cleanliness than at check-in (accounting for fair wear and tear). The charge must reflect the actual cost of a professional clean — not an inflated figure. The landlord must provide an invoice from the cleaning company.

 

• If the check-in inventory showed a professionally cleaned property, it must be returned in the same state
• If the check-in inventory showed a standard domestic clean, a professional clean cannot be charged unless the property is significantly worse
• Charges must match the actual cost of the work — landlords cannot inflate cleaning charges

 

Damage Beyond Fair Wear and Tear

• Broken fixtures, fittings, or furniture
• Burn marks, deep staining, or gouges in flooring
• Holes in walls beyond small picture hooks
• Broken window glass
• Damaged appliances if caused by misuse

 

Unpaid Rent or Unpaid Bills

• Any rent arrears at the end of the tenancy
• Unpaid utility bills in the tenant’s name (less common — landlords must evidence these)

 

What a Landlord CANNOT Deduct From Your Deposit

✅	Fair Wear and Tear ‘Fair wear and tear’ refers to the normal deterioration of a property through reasonable use over time. Landlords cannot charge for this — and it is one of the most misunderstood aspects of deposit law.

 

Examples of fair wear and tear (not chargeable):

• Scuffs and minor marks on walls from normal living
• Worn carpet from regular foot traffic — particularly on stairs and in high-traffic areas
• Faded paint or wallpaper from sunlight and general ageing
• Small nail holes from hanging pictures (a reasonable number)
• Worn door handles or hinges from normal use
• Minor scratches on wooden floors from normal furniture movement

 

Other things a landlord CANNOT charge for:

• Repairs that were already needed before you moved in (check your check-in inventory)
• General maintenance and servicing costs — these are the landlord’s responsibility
• Improvements to the property — replacing like with like is the standard, not upgrading
• Cleaning that was already poor at check-in — compare against the check-in inventory
• Any deductions without evidence — invoices, quotes, photographs

 

The Inventory: Your Most Important Document

The check-in inventory is the baseline against which your deposit deductions will be judged. Everything in the deposit dispute process comes back to this document. If the inventory says the bathroom grout was clean, and it is now stained, that is chargeable. If the inventory notes the grout was already discoloured, it is not.

 

At check-in:

• Read every line of the inventory before signing it
• Add notes to anything that is inaccurate — in writing, on the day
• Photograph everything that is already damaged or worn, with timestamps
• Send the inventory back with your notes or photographs by email — create a paper trail

 

At check-out:

• Keep a copy of the check-in inventory throughout your tenancy
• Go through it room by room before the check-out inspection
• Photograph every room after your final clean, with timestamps
• Be present at the check-out inspection if possible — you have the right to be

 

How to Dispute an Unfair Deposit Deduction

1. Respond in writing immediately — do not accept any deduction verbally. Ask for a written breakdown of every deduction claimed.
2. Request evidence for every deduction — invoices for cleaning, receipts for repairs, and photographs. Landlords must provide this.
3. Compare against the check-in inventory — for every claimed deduction, check whether the issue was pre-existing.
4. Contact your deposit protection scheme — all three schemes have a free Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service. This is usually faster and cheaper than going to court.
5. Raise a dispute through ADR — provide your evidence: inventory, photographs, emails. The scheme appoints an independent adjudicator who makes a binding decision.
6. If ADR fails, use the Small Claims Court — claims up to £10,000 can be made through MCOL (Money Claim Online). Filing fee is £35–£70.

 

💡	Success Rate Tenants who go through the ADR process with clear photographic evidence and a completed check-in inventory comparison win the majority of disputed cleaning deductions. Evidence is everything.

 

The Cleaning Standard That Prevents Disputes

The most effective way to avoid deposit disputes is to return the property to a professional cleaning standard at checkout. Most letting agents in Fulham expect a professionally cleaned property — and the best way to demonstrate this is with an invoice from a professional cleaning company.

 

Property Size	Professional Clean Cost	Average Cleaning Deduction if Not Done
Studio	£100–£130	£150–£200
1 bedroom flat	£130–£160	£175–£250
2 bedroom flat	£160–£220	£220–£350
3 bedroom house	£220–£280	£300–£450+

 

The numbers are clear: a professional clean costs less than the typical deduction for inadequate cleaning — and a professional invoice provides evidence that the cleaning was done.

 

Book End of Tenancy Cleaning in Fulham

Maid in Fulham provides end of tenancy cleaning across Fulham SW6, Chelsea, Hammersmith, West Kensington, Parsons Green, Clapham, and Battersea. Our service includes a 72-hour re-clean guarantee — if the checkout report identifies any cleaning issues, we return to address them at no charge.