Section 213: Requirements relating to tenancy deposits
501.From the time these provisions come into force all landlords and their agents will be required to ensure that any deposit required in relation to an assured shorthold tenancy is safeguarded by a tenancy deposit scheme. Landlords, agents or tenants will not be able to avoid the legislation by agreeing that a deposit should not be safeguarded by a scheme. If a deposit is required the landlord or his agent will always be required to comply with the provisions. Within 14 days of the landlord or his agent receiving a deposit he must ensure that the deposit is safeguarded by an authorised TDS in accordance with the scheme’s requirements and give the tenant and, if relevant, the person who paid the deposit, such information as is prescribed by the appropriate national authority as to which scheme is safeguarding their deposit, how the scheme’s initial requirements have been met and details of the relevant legislation which protects their deposit.