Prescribed information
4 templates
Free
Deposit prescribed information templates
England
Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Fillable PDF
Complete on screen or print and sign
Works with any government‑approved scheme
Checked October 2026
Choose your nation
Choose the template for your nation below. Each is a fillable PDF you can complete on screen or print and sign, and each works with any government‑approved scheme.
30
days
England
Tenancy Deposit Prescribed Information
For assured tenancies, including periodic tenancies under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Protect the deposit and give this information within 30 days of receiving it. The contents are set by article 2 of the Housing (Tenancy Deposits) (Prescribed Information) Order 2007.
30
days
Wales
Deposit Required Information
For occupation contracts under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, where it is called “required information” and the tenant is the contract-holder. Protect the deposit and give the information within 30 days of it being paid. The list is in regulation 3 of the 2022 Welsh regulations.
30
working days
Scotland
Tenancy Deposit Information
For private residential tenancies. Pay the deposit to SafeDeposits Scotland, mydeposits Scotland or Letting Protection Service Scotland, and give this information within 30 working days of the tenancy starting. It must include a statement that you are registered, or have applied to register, as a landlord. See mygov.scot and our Scotland landlord guide.
35
days
Northern Ireland
Tenancy Deposit Prescribed Information
For private tenancies. Protect the deposit within 28 days of receiving it and give this information within 35 days, using TDS Northern Ireland or mydeposits Northern Ireland. The deadlines were extended by the Private Tenancies Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.
What prescribed information must include
The exact list depends on the nation, but every version covers the same core details:
The deposit
The amount, the property address and the date it was received or protected
The scheme
Its name and contact details, and its procedures for repayment and disputes
The people
Contact details for the landlord, any agent, every tenant and anyone who paid the deposit on the tenant’s behalf
Deductions
When the landlord may keep some or all of the deposit, by reference to the tenancy agreement
Certificate
The landlord’s signed confirmation that the information is accurate, and the tenant’s chance to sign it (not required in Scotland)
The person who paid on the tenant’s behalf, such as a parent, is called the “relevant person” in England and Northern Ireland. They must receive a copy too, and they are the recipient landlords most often leave out.
DPS, TDS and mydeposits prescribed information
Each scheme gives you its own prescribed information document or leaflet when you protect a deposit. You can give your tenant that document, or complete a template like ours, provided every required detail is included. Either way, attach the scheme’s own leaflet explaining its repayment and dispute procedures, because the law requires it.
Our templates work with all of them: the Deposit Protection Service (DPS), the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) and mydeposits, whether you use a custodial or insured scheme.
What happens if you don’t give it
England
The tenant can claim one to three times the deposit, and a court cannot make a possession order on most grounds until the deposit is protected and the information given. See unprotected deposits.
Wales
The court must order one to three times the deposit, and you cannot give a no-fault notice under section 173 or 186 until you comply.
Scotland
The First-tier Tribunal can order up to three times the deposit.
Northern Ireland
Failing to protect the deposit or give the information is a continuing offence, and the council can issue a fixed penalty of three times the deposit.
How to give prescribed information
1
Protect the deposit with an approved scheme first, because you need the details the scheme confirms. Our guide to protecting a tenancy deposit covers the steps.
2
Complete every section of the template for your nation, including the clause numbers in your agreement that allow deductions.
3
Attach the scheme’s leaflet.
4
Sign the certificate and give your tenant the chance to sign it.
5
Give a copy to every tenant and any relevant person before the deadline, and keep proof of when and how you gave it.
Keep the record with the tenancy
Store the signed form and the scheme certificate against the tenancy in August’s document storage, so you can prove what you gave and when if a claim ever arises. The prescribed information is one of several documents a new tenant needs, all listed in our landlord documents checklist. If you took a holding deposit first, the holding deposit agreement explains how it transfers to the tenancy deposit.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to give prescribed information again when a tenancy becomes periodic?
In England, not if the deposit stays in the same scheme and the landlord, tenant and property are unchanged. Existing tenancies that became periodic on 1 May 2026 do not need new prescribed information. A new deposit, a new scheme or a change of tenant does.
Can I give prescribed information by email?
Yes, if your tenant has agreed to receive documents by email. Send it as an attachment rather than a link, and keep the sent email as proof.
Does the tenant have to sign the prescribed information?
No. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland you must give the tenant the chance to sign it, but their signature is not required. In Scotland there is no signature requirement.
How much deposit can I take?
It depends on the nation: five weeks’ rent in England (six if annual rent is £50,000 or more), two months’ rent in Scotland and one month’s rent in Northern Ireland. Wales has no general cap. See our guide to the tenancy deposit cap.
Templates checked against legislation in October 2026. They are provided for general information and are not legal advice.
