At the end of your tenancy we ask you to leave the property clean and tidy and as close to the condition you found it in at the start of your tenancy. We'll also ask you to provide us with proof that you've paid all of your utilities (gas, electricity, water) and that you've dealt with the council tax at the property; so make sure you hold on to all your bills!
Your tenancy agreement explains in detail why you may have charges deducted from your deposits, however the main reasons tenants are charged are: not paying their rent on time, you can be charged 35 each time a rent payment is late by more than 4 days; using blue-tac or similar on your walls (if we have to re-paint a wall the charge is normally 40 per wall); and not cleaning the property well enough when moving out.
We can help you to keep as much of your deposit as possible if you arrange a pre-inspection with our team so we can point out any issues you may be charged for so you can put them right before the end of your tenancy. Deposits are normally returned within 28 days of the end of your tenancy, provided all rent is paid and you've provided us with proof that your utilities and council tax have been dealt with. One of our deposits team has written a blog about how deposits work, which you might find useful, too.