Prescribed Information

Prescribed Information – What is it?

Prescribed Information relates to the specific set of documents that must be provided to tenants within 30 days of the agent or landlord receiving the deposit.

And the word must isn’t an option; it is a legal obligation to provide the following information to the [prospective] tenant(s) and anyone that has contributed towards the deposit.

The information includes:

• Tenancy address
• Amount of deposit 
• Tenant(s) name and address

Landlord / Letting agent details:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone
• Email 

Deposit scheme details:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone
• Email 
• Dispute resolution service 

Once your landlord has received the deposit, they have 30 days to tell the tenant(s):

• the address of the rented property
• how much deposit you’ve paid
• how the deposit is protected
• the name and contact details of the tenancy deposit protection (TDP) scheme and its dispute resolution service
• their (or the letting agency’s) name and contact details
• the name and contact details of any third party that’s paid the deposit
• why they would keep some or all of the deposit
• how to apply to get the deposit back
• what to do if you can’t get hold of the landlord at the end of the tenancy
• what to do if there’s a dispute over the deposit

Key takeaways 

The PRESCRIBED INFORMATION ORDER 2007 No. 797 defines exactly the information that the Landlord is required to supply their Tenant with regard to any monies that have been given in respect of a deposit.

THE HOUSING (TENANCY DEPOSITS) (PRESCRIBED INFORMATION) ORDER 2007 No. 797 

This instrument supplements the Provisions relating to tenancy deposit schemes that are contained in sections 212 to 215 of, and Schedule 10 to, the Housing Act 2004 (“the Act”). It applies to Landlords who have let their property on an Assured Shorthold tenancy and who have taken a deposit as security for the performance or discharge of any of the tenant’s obligations arising under or in connection with the tenancy. 

The instrument prescribes the information that a Landlord must give to such a Tenant, and any person who has paid a deposit on the Tenant’s behalf, within 30 days (previously 14 days) of receiving the deposit. 

For reference the PRESCRIBED INFORMATION) 2007 No. 797 requires the following [as per our documents]. 

(a) the name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and any fax number of the scheme administrator of the authorised tenancy deposit scheme applying to the deposit; 

(b) Any information contained in a leaflet supplied by the scheme administrator to the Landlord which explains the operation of the provisions contained in sections 212 to 215 of, and Schedule 10 to the Act.

(c) the procedures that apply under the scheme by which an amount in respect of a deposit may be paid or repaid to the Tenant at the end of the shorthold tenancy (“the tenancy”).

Note: This legislation was amended 6th April 20212 with the introduction of the Localism Bill