Tenancy deposit rights in Dudley
The 30-day protection rule applies everywhere in England and Wales — this page adds the local numbers: what a typical deposit is worth here, where you'd issue a claim, and who enforces locally.
Local rent & deposit benchmarks
| Measure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Median monthly rent (all renters) | £700 | ONS PRMS England, October 2022 to September 2023 verified 2026-09-04 |
| Lower quartile rent (cheaper quartile) | £595 | |
| Median room rent (HMO / house-share) | £395 | |
| Estimated maximum deposit (5-week cap) | £808 | Tenant Fees Act 2019 · median × 5 weeks |
| Typical 2x penalty on a median deposit | £1,616 | s.214(4) Housing Act 2004 |
Benchmarks use the ONS Private Rental Market Summary statistics with the reference period published above; they are area medians, not a valuation of a specific property.
Where you'd claim
Dudley County Court and Family Court
· 0300 123 5577
Money claims are issued centrally (MCOL or the Civil National Business Centre, Northampton) — this venue is your local hearing centre and enforcement court. Court details →
Local enforcement
The council's private sector housing team enforces housing standards and can issue civil penalties to non-compliant landlords; trading standards enforce the Tenant Fees Act 2019 deposit cap and agent redress rules. Council contact details vary — start at Dudley's website (housing or private sector housing section). Deposit-protection complaints themselves go to the three schemes and the county court, not the council.
Protected after day 30? Never protected? Prescribed information missing? Each is a breach of s.213 Housing Act 2004 and the court must award 1x–3x the deposit under s.214(4) — wherever in Dudley the property is.
Casewright claim pack
Landlord in a landlord in Dudley failed the 30-day rule? The Casewright Tenancy Deposit Pack generates your formal 14-day Letter Before Claim and Money Claim Online particulars citing s.213 and s.214 Housing Act 2004. Flat £69 — no percentage of your award, unlike no-win-no-fee deposit lawyers who take 35–42%.
Dudley FAQs
What compensation can I claim if my landlord in Dudley protected my deposit late?
Under section 214(4) Housing Act 2004, if your landlord failed to protect your tenancy deposit within 30 days of receiving it, the county court must order the landlord to repay the deposit plus a statutory penalty of between 1 and 3 times the deposit amount. The median rent in Dudley is £700/month (ONS), so a typical claim locally runs to several thousand pounds.
Can my landlord in Dudley serve a Section 21 notice if my deposit was not protected?
No — for tenancies that began before 1 May 2026, section 215 Housing Act 2004 makes any Section 21 notice invalid while the deposit protection and prescribed information duties are unmet. For tenancies beginning on or after 1 May 2026 the Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished Section 21 altogether; landlords must use Section 8 grounds.
What is the maximum deposit my landlord can charge in Dudley?
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 caps tenancy deposits at 5 weeks' rent (annual rent under £50,000) or 6 weeks' rent (£50,000+). On Dudley's median rent of £700/month the 5-week cap works out at about £808. A landlord demanding more is acting unlawfully — report it to the council's trading standards or housing team.
Shelter's free emergency housing advice line: 0808 800 4444 (England, weekdays) · Citizens Advice: 0808 223 1133. If you are being illegally locked out right now, call 999.