How to dispute a cleaning deduction

Yes. If your deposit was protected in one of the three government-backed schemes in England and Wales, you can challenge a proposed cleaning deduction through that scheme’s free dispute resolution service. The three schemes are the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), the Deposit Protection Service (DPS) and mydeposits.

You do not have to accept the first figure a landlord or agent proposes. Cleaning is the single most common cause of deposit disputes: it featured in 54% of the cases TDS handled in 2024/25, more than any other reason. So adjudicators see these claims constantly, and they decide them on the evidence, not on who argues hardest.

Start by replying in writing. Say which deductions you accept (if any) and which you dispute, and ask for the landlord’s evidence. Often a clear, calm message resolves it before any formal step. If it does not, the scheme’s adjudication service is the next stage. For what a landlord can fairly charge in the first place, see can my landlord charge for cleaning.

The process is paper-based and free to use. You raise the dispute with your scheme, both sides upload evidence, and an impartial adjudicator decides how the deposit is split. Neither party attends a hearing.

Adjudicators decide on documents, not opinions, so your evidence is what wins or loses the case. The single most useful item is the check-in inventory, because it sets the benchmark for the condition you have to return the property to.

Pair that with proof of the condition you left. Time-stamped photos taken in good light, the check-out report and any professional cleaning invoice all help. A receipt from a cleaning service shows the property was cleaned to a defined standard on a known date.

The landlord does. The burden of proof sits with the landlord or agent: they have to show the property’s condition fell below the check-in standard and that the amount they want to keep is reasonable. As the DPS puts it, the onus is on them to prove a legitimate claim, while the tenant has no obligation to prove their position.

This matters for cleaning because a landlord cannot charge to bring a property to a higher standard than it was at check-in, and cannot charge for fair wear and tear. Schemes only allow claims for cleaning beyond reasonable use, judged against the check-in record. See our evidence photo checklist for how to capture this clearly.

Adjudication, sometimes called alternative dispute resolution (ADR), is an independent review run by your deposit scheme. An adjudicator reads both sides’ submissions and decides how the deposit should be split, based only on the written evidence.

The decision is final and binding on both parties and cannot be appealed through the scheme; the only route to challenge it afterwards is the courts. Using the service is voluntary, but if you choose it you accept the outcome, so it pays to submit your strongest evidence the first time.

Allow a few weeks. Each side is typically given 10 working days to submit evidence once the dispute is opened. After the evidence deadline, the adjudicator’s statutory requirement is to decide within 20 working days of receiving the referral, and TDS aims to complete most cases within around 28 days.

In practice many cases finish faster, especially custodial ones where the scheme already holds the money. Formal disputes are also uncommon: only about 1% of protected deposits in England and Wales went to formal adjudication in 2024/25, with the average protected deposit at £1,175, the highest level recorded.

You are often in a stronger position than you think. The check-in inventory is mainly the landlord’s evidence, and without a clear record agreed at the start of the tenancy, the landlord struggles to prove what condition the property was in. Adjudicators frequently find for the tenant where there is no solid check-in report to support a deduction.

If no inventory exists, gather whatever you can: any move-in photos or emails, the check-out report and your own dated photos of how you left the property. Make the point clearly to the adjudicator that there is no agreed baseline for the deduction being claimed.

This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Tenancy agreements and scheme processes vary, and deadlines can differ between custodial and insured schemes. If you need advice on your situation, speak to your deposit scheme or a qualified adviser. If you would rather avoid a dispute altogether, a documented end of tenancy clean backed by our 48-hour re-clean guarantee (terms apply) gives you a receipt and a defined standard; you can check the end of tenancy cleaning cost or get an instant quote.