# What Deposit Adjudicators Look For in Check-Out Evidence > How TDS, DPS and mydeposits adjudicators decide deposit disputes: who has to prove what, how wear and tear and cleaning are judged, and which evidence counts. Published 2 November 2026. Web version: https://helloreport.co.uk/blog/what-deposit-adjudicators-look-for-in-check-out-evidence By check-out, you may know a property well. You remember the carpet before the tenant moved in, the condition of the kitchen and the repairs carried out during the tenancy. A deposit adjudicator has none of that background. They have the evidence submitted, and it needs to explain what changed and why the proposed deduction is reasonable. That can be a difficult gap to close months or years after the first inventory. A photograph might show a mark clearly, but leave its location uncertain. A report might describe a room as being in good condition without saying whether it was clean. The person who inspected it may understand exactly what they meant; someone reading it later needs more to go on. The three government-authorised deposit schemes, TDS, DPS and mydeposits, share the principles set out in their [Guide to Deposits, Disputes and Damages](https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/A_Guide_to_Deposits_Disputes_and_Damages_Updated_September_2020_v1.pdf). For agents and inventory clerks, those principles have practical consequences for the reports you write at check-in, during the tenancy and at check-out. This article looks at deposit evidence in England. ## Who has to prove what **The deposit remains the tenant's money unless the landlord establishes a legitimate claim to it.** The burden is on the landlord to show, on the balance of probabilities, that: 1. the tenant broke their obligations under the tenancy, and 2. the landlord suffered a loss as a result. A check-out report showing damage is therefore only part of the case. The adjudicator also needs to understand the starting condition, why the tenant is responsible and how the amount claimed has been calculated. Formal adjudication is relatively uncommon. [TDS reports 46,950 adjudications across England and Wales in 2024/25](https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/TDS-Statistical-Briefing-2025-Key-trends-in-deposits-disputes-and-the-UK-rental-market), equivalent to about 1% of protected deposits. But the same clear record is useful well before a dispute reaches that stage: it gives you and the tenant something concrete to discuss when deductions are proposed. ## What evidence carries weight Start with the tenancy agreement and the check-in and check-out reports. Together, they should establish the tenant's obligations and provide a clear comparison of the property at both ends of the tenancy. Supporting photographs, correspondence and evidence of costs help explain individual claims. ### Reports that match Use the same room names, item names and rating terms throughout. If “bedroom 1” becomes “front left bedroom” at check-out, the reader has to work out whether the two entries refer to the same place. That uncertainty is avoidable. Consistent descriptions matter just as much. Consider this illustrative pair of entries: - **Check-in:** “Living room, carpet: light grey, light wear by doorway, no visible stains.” - **Check-out:** “Living room, carpet: light wear by doorway; red stain approximately 10cm across beside sofa. See photo 18.” The second entry preserves the existing wear and identifies the change. It gives the reader enough detail to find the problem and compare it with the starting record. A deduction would still need to account for the carpet's age, the appropriate remedy and the cost. ### The tenant's opportunity to comment A detailed inventory prepared by an independent clerk, supported by dated photos and acknowledged by the tenant, gives an adjudicator a strong starting point. Reports prepared by an agent or landlord can also carry weight, particularly where there is evidence that the tenant received the report and had an opportunity to correct it. [mydeposits describes seven to ten days as the industry standard](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/advice-for-check-in-and-check-out/) for a reasonable period to comment. This is guidance, rather than a fixed deadline that applies to every inventory. Keep the tenant's replies alongside the report, including disagreements and amendments. If the tenant doesn't sign, retain evidence that you sent it and gave them an opportunity to respond. A missing signature doesn't automatically make the report unusable, and silence shouldn't be presented as an express agreement. ### Photos with enough context Before and after photographs are easiest to assess when they show the same item from comparable angles. Link each image to its date, room and item, and make sure the report itself gives the property address and inspection date. A close-up can show the extent of a stain or scratch. A wider view helps establish where it is. Use both when the detail would otherwise be difficult to place. Checkout photographs can still contribute where there is no matching starting photograph, but other evidence will be needed to establish the earlier condition. Written descriptions and photographs should support each other. Neither can fill every gap in the other. ### A record during the tenancy Mid-term inspections can help establish when a problem appeared and whether it was reported or addressed. They don't need to repeat every detail of the inventory to be useful. For example, if an inspection records a loose cupboard hinge and the tenant later reports that the door has come off, those records are relevant to deciding responsibility. Without that history, a broken door at check-out tells only part of the story. Keep maintenance reports and the action taken with the inspection record. ## Cleaning: where detail matters most Cleaning remains a leading reason for deductions and disputes. It appeared in 54% of the 2024/25 disputes reported by [TDS](https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/TDS-Statistical-Briefing-2025-Key-trends-in-deposits-disputes-and-the-UK-rental-market). At [DPS, it accounted for about 29% of deduction claims in 2025](https://www.depositprotection.com/news-insights/cleaning-main-cause-of-tenancy-deposit-deductions-for-a-fifth-year-running/). These figures measure different things, but both show why cleanliness deserves attention in the starting report. **The tenant should return the property to the same standard of cleanliness as at the start.** Fair wear and tear concerns deterioration through ordinary use; it doesn't excuse leaving an item dirty. A sofa can be clean and worn, or in good condition but dirty. Record condition and cleanliness separately so the reader can tell which issue needs attention. Broad labels such as “domestic standard” are more useful when accompanied by observations about the item itself. For example, “oven dirty” leaves several questions unanswered. Is there grease on the door, burnt-on food inside, or residue on the shelves? An illustrative entry such as “grease on inner door glass; burnt-on food on base and both shelves” explains what needs cleaning. Relevant photographs can support it. A smell needs a written description because a photograph cannot record it. ### The standard matters more than who did the cleaning In England, you cannot require a tenant to pay for a professional cleaning service simply because the tenancy agreement says so. You can require the property to be returned to its starting standard of cleanliness, and seek reasonable cleaning costs if the evidence shows it falls short. The tenant may achieve that standard by cleaning it themselves. Equally, a professional cleaner's invoice doesn't establish that every area was clean. The report and photographs should record what was actually found. [DPS's guidance](https://www.depositprotection.com/news-insights/be-the-adjudicator-live-sept-26) makes clear that adjudicators assess the standard achieved, including where a tenant has paid a cleaner but some areas still need attention. Match the proposed charge to the work needed. If only the oven and extractor need cleaning, explain those costs separately. A bill for cleaning the whole property needs evidence that the whole property required it, with an allowance for any areas that weren't clean at the start. ## Fair wear and tear, and reasonable deductions A property will show signs of being lived in. Adjudicators consider the length of the tenancy, the number and age of occupants, any permitted pets, and the item's quality, age and starting condition when deciding what wear is reasonable. The distinction is easier to assess when the inventory records existing wear precisely. “Carpet: fair” offers little help. A description of flattened pile in the walkway, fading near the window or an existing mark gives the check-out clerk something meaningful to compare. Even where the tenant is responsible for damage, a deduction must allow for the item's remaining value. The landlord isn't entitled to replace an older item at the tenant's full expense and gain something better than they would otherwise have had. The schemes' joint guide gives this illustrative calculation, assuming damage justifies replacement: - a comparable replacement costs £500 - the damaged item was two years old when the loss occurred, with an expected useful life of five years - allowing £100 depreciation per year leaves three years of useful life - the illustrative contribution is **£300**, rather than the full £500. This isn't an automatic tariff. A repair may be appropriate, or the damage may reduce the item's value without making replacement necessary. The evidence needs to explain the remedy as well as the price. [mydeposits publishes indicative lifespans](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/a-guide-on-the-life-expectancy-of-rental-property-products/), including up to three years for decoration in kitchens, bathrooms and hallways, and up to five in bedrooms. Its carpet guidance ranges from up to five years for budget quality to eight for medium and fifteen for top quality. These are guidelines, with the circumstances of the item and tenancy still relevant. Keep purchase receipts and records of redecoration where possible. They help explain an item's age and quality, which a check-in photograph alone may not establish. ## Presenting the claim clearly Make each proposed deduction easy to follow. Explain the obligation, the change recorded, the remedy and the amount claimed, with references to the relevant report entries and photographs. An itemised invoice, quote or estimate helps show how the cost relates to the problem. [mydeposits accepts all three as evidence of cost](https://www.mydeposits.co.uk/content-hub/evidence-for-deposit-dispute/); work doesn't have to be completed before a claim can be assessed. An invoice also records work carried out, but it doesn't by itself prove that the tenant was responsible for it. Avoid leaving the adjudicator to search a long email chain or work out what “see check-out report” is supposed to demonstrate. Include the relevant correspondence, identify the important passages and provide a short explanation for each claim. Unsupported opinions about the tenant add little to that explanation. ## Check your scheme's dispute process Each scheme has its own procedures, and insured and custodial arrangements can differ. Use the current guidance for the scheme holding the deposit:
Scheme Where to check
DPS Dispute resolution process and evidence submission
TDS What happens when a dispute is raised
mydeposits Insured and custodial resolution processes
Check both the deadline to raise a dispute and the dates for submitting evidence or responding. Submit everything relevant within the window you are given; don't assume the adjudicator will request missing material. Adjudication decisions are final and binding. If you believe there is a clear error of fact or law, check the scheme's review or complaints procedure promptly. [TDS requires review requests within 28 calendar days](https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/article/How-do-I-complain-about-an-adjudication-decision), and [DPS also accepts complaints about clear errors](https://www.depositprotection.com/claims-and-disputes-for-tenants/what-adjudicators-do). Disagreement with the outcome alone isn't grounds for a fresh assessment. ## Where the Renters' Rights Act fits The move to assured periodic tenancies for most private rentals in England from 1 May 2026 makes a consistent record useful across a tenancy that may continue for years. Periodic tenancies could already last a long time; the reform doesn't create a new test for deposit deductions. Tenants also have stronger rights to request a pet, but the ability to claim for pet damage predates the Act. The same evidence, wear and tear and reasonable-cost principles still apply. For the wider changes, see our guide to [the Renters' Rights Act and property reporting](https://helloreport.co.uk/blog/the-renters-rights-act-what-letting-agents-need-to-know-about-property-reporting). ## How HelloReport helps For us, the practical lesson is that a report needs to remain useful long after the inspection. Another clerk may carry out the check-out, an agent may need to explain a proposed deduction, or a tenant may want to challenge an entry. Each needs to be able to follow the record without relying on the original inspector's memory. HelloReport supports that process through: - **Check-outs that match the check-in.** HelloReport builds the check-out from the completed inventory, with the same rooms and items. Condition, cleanliness and photos from the start and the end sit side by side, each set labelled with its report and date. - **A tenant review on record.** The tenant portal sends the inventory to the tenant, who has seven days to agree or disagree with each item, adding comments and photos where they disagree. You can extend the deadline if needed. The tenant then signs, and you keep a record of exactly what they said. - **Condition and cleanliness rated separately.** Every item gets its own condition and cleanliness rating, and defects are recorded as General, Cleaning or Maintenance. - **Inspections that build the record.** Each inspection can start from the rooms in the property's previous report, so every visit follows the same layout and builds a dated record across the tenancy. The quality of the observations still matters. Consistent reports give those observations a place, keep the tenant's response alongside them and make the comparison easier when the tenancy ends. [Book a guided demo](https://helloreport.co.uk/book-a-demo) to see how it works, or [start your 14-day free trial](https://my.helloreport.co.uk/#/auth/register) with full access to every feature. *This article is general information about deposit evidence in England, not legal advice. Each scheme's rules and deadlines can change, so check your scheme's current guidance.*