Abide.Rent

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Record a deposit, its protection and the prescribed information

Record the deposit amount, the date it was received, the scheme, the date it was protected and the date the prescribed information was given.

Abide.Rent · Editorial

England, private rented sector. Not legal advice.

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Watch Record a deposit · 0:14 · recorded in Abide.Rent with example data

A deposit belongs to the tenancy, not to the property, so it is recorded with the tenancy.

Who this is for: letting agencies and landlords.

Deposit on the moving-in tab

The deposit section: protected, and the prescribed information given.

What you are deciding

What to record about the deposit, and when.

Your options

  • A deposit is held. Record the amount and the date it was received. Abide.Rent counts 30 days from that date and lists the deadline until a protection date is recorded.
  • No deposit was taken. Say so. The tenancy then shows that no deposit is held, and no deadline is counted.
  • Not recorded yet. The tenancy shows the deposit as not recorded, so you can see at a glance which tenancies still need an answer.

How to do it

  1. Open the property and go to the tenancy.
  2. Open Deposit and choose whether a deposit is held.
  3. Enter the amount in pounds and the date it was received.
  4. Choose the scheme that holds it and enter the date it was protected.
  5. Enter the date the prescribed information was given to the tenant.
  6. Save.

A worked example

A tenancy begins on Monday 2 November 2026 and the agent receives a deposit of £1,442.00 the same day. Abide.Rent shows a deadline of Wednesday 2 December 2026, 30 days on. The agent protects the deposit with a scheme on Thursday 5 November 2026 and gives the tenant the prescribed information on Friday 6 November 2026. Once both dates are recorded the deadline is shown as met, and the tenant's portal shows the scheme and both dates.

What Abide.Rent does for you

  • Counts 30 days from the date the deposit was received and shows the deadline with your others.
  • Shows the tenant the amount, the scheme and the dates on their tenancy.
  • Keeps the dates with the tenancy for as long as the record exists.

If something goes wrong

  • “Enter the deposit amount.”
    What to do: Type the amount in pounds and pence.
  • “Record the deposit as held before giving the prescribed information.”
    What to do: Save the deposit first, then give the prescribed information.
  • “Attach the prescribed information document from the deposit scheme (PDF) before giving it to the tenants.”
    What to do: Download the prescribed information from the scheme and attach it as a PDF.
  • “Enter the address of the person who paid the deposit.”
    What to do: If someone else paid the deposit, give their address: the prescribed information must name them.

Common mistakes

  • Recording the protection date and forgetting the prescribed information date. They are two separate dates.
  • Entering the date the tenancy began instead of the date the money was received.
  • Assuming Abide.Rent protects the deposit. It records what you tell it and does not contact the scheme.

What to do next