Charge for the life it had left.
An adjudicator rarely awards the full cost of a new item. Enter what you’re replacing, its age and the cost, and the calculator reduces it for age with your scheme’s own lifespans, for TDS, DPS or mydeposits.
Step 1 of 6Scheme
Work out a deduction
Get your evidence in order before the deadline.
Start a case in about two minutes. Upload what you have, see how each deduction stands, and pay only when you want the finished pack.
- See how each deduction stands before you pay
- You check the pack and submit it yourself
- For TDS, DPS and mydeposits
What does reducing for age look like?
Three replacements, each worked out with the scheme’s figure for a medium-quality item.
| Item | Scheme | Replacement cost | Age | Expected life | Life left | After reducing for age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpet | TDS | £600.00 | 2 years | 6.5 years | 4 years, 6 months | £415.38 |
| Paint and decoration (living room) | DPS | £450.00 | 3 years | 4 years | 1 year | £112.50 |
| Washing machine or tumble dryer | mydeposits | £400.00 | 4 years | 7 years | 3 years | £171.43 |
How long do items last, by scheme?
Each scheme publishes its own figures, and an adjudicator uses their own scheme’s. A blank means the scheme gives no figure, so you give the life you’d expect and say why.
| Item | TDS | DPS | mydeposits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpet | 5–8 years | 5–10 years | up to 8 years |
| Laminate or vinyl flooring | 5–10 years | ||
| Hardwood flooring | 15–50 years | ||
| Paint and decoration | 3–5 years | 2–6 years, by room | 3–5 years, by room |
| Curtains | up to 10 years | ||
| Blinds | up to 8 years | ||
| Mattress | up to 8 years | up to 8 years | |
| Bed frame | up to 5 years | ||
| Sofa | up to 8 years | ||
| Dining chairs | up to 7 years | ||
| Washing machine or tumble dryer | 6–8 years | 3–5 years | up to 7 years |
| Dishwasher | up to 10 years | ||
| Oven, cooker or hob | 9–15 years | 4–6 years | up to 10 years |
| Fridge or freezer | 5–8 years | up to 10 years |
How is a deduction reduced for age?
Divide the replacement cost by the item’s expected life, then multiply by the years it had left. DPS gives the example of a £500 item expected to last 5 years and damaged at 2 years old. It had 3 years left, so the tenant’s share is £300 (DPS).
Charging for a newer item than the one damaged is betterment, and all three schemes refuse it (DPS). The lifespans come from each scheme’s own guidance: TDS, DPS and mydeposits.
What isn’t reduced for age?
Cleaning, and a repair that puts the damage right, restore what was there. They’re charged at their cost. Replacement is fair only when an item is beyond economic repair or can’t be used.
What evidence backs up each figure?
- the item’s age, from a receipt, the fitter’s invoice or the check-in report
- its quality, from the receipt or the inventory, if you use a longer life than the scheme’s figure
- the replacement cost, from a like-for-like quote or invoice
- the damage, from dated photos at check-in and check-out
Read more in how to work out a deposit deduction for an item’s age and fair wear and tear for landlords. When the scheme asks for your evidence, the deadline calculator tells you when it’s due.
Questions
Can I charge my tenant for a new carpet?
Usually only part of it. A carpet that was damaged beyond repair is charged for the life it had left, not the price of a new one. The calculator works out that share from your scheme’s lifespan for carpets.
What if the item was past its expected life?
Then it had no life left, so replacing it leaves nothing to claim. A clean or a repair may still be charged, because those put right damage rather than replace the item.
Which lifespan should I use?
Your own scheme’s, for a medium-quality item. Use a longer life only if the receipt or the inventory shows the item was better quality, and include that evidence.
Why do the schemes give different figures?
Each scheme publishes its own guidance, from its own adjudicators’ experience. An adjudicator uses their own scheme’s figure, so choose the scheme that protects the deposit.
Can I rely on these figures?
Use them to prepare your claim. They follow each scheme’s published guidance, but the adjudicator decides each case on its evidence.