How to protect your deposit from rip-off landlords

More than two million people have fallen victim to a scam involving a private tenancy or a landlord in the past three years, according to recent research by Shelter, the homelessness charity.

Popular rip-offs include "let and run" scams, where conmen break into vacant properties and rent them out as their own, only to disappear once the tenant has handed over a deposit and rent.

Hidden fees are similarly commonplace, where money is taken for costs without the tenant being informed. The report also found that some rogue landlords ask tenants to provide guarantors instead of deposits, with the guarantors later landed with a bill for unnecessary repairs.

The Scottish Government has estimated that some 3.6 million of tenant deposits are being unfairly retained every year north of the Border alone. It is consulting on measures aimed at tackling the issue.

But there are steps you can take to increase your chances of getting a deposit back:

• Understand the requirements for the return of the deposit. For example, reach a shared agreement over the condition the property should be in at the end of the tenure and clarify the notice period required by both parties.

• Make an inventory of both the contents and the condition of the property. It's also worth taking photos that include any problems, such as stains, damp and wall cracks, that were there from the outset.

• Look out for contracts that say the tenants must pay for professional cleaning services at the end of the tenancy, as this is illegal, according to the Office of Fair Trading.

• Keep the property clean and in good condition to avoid deterioration by the end of the tenure, at which point it should be cleaned thoroughly and left as it was at the outset.

• Take action - if you do feel your landlord has unfairly withheld your deposit you should contact your solicitor, seek advice through the Citizens Advice Bureau or pursue the complaint through the Small Claims Court.