Chat Evidence for a Tenancy Deposit Dispute (UK)
If your deposit is in dispute, messages with your landlord or agent can show what was agreed and when. This page covers keeping and tidying them. Rules and outcomes depend on your case.
Not legal advice. This page is general information. Whether a court admits or relies on a chat is for the court; convokeep does not promise admission or any outcome. Ask a qualified lawyer or a local advice service about your case.
Where is my deposit held?
In England and Wales a landlord must protect a deposit in an approved scheme. GOV.UK lists them as the Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, and says the deposit stays protected while a disagreement is resolved. Read the GOV.UK page and your scheme's own dispute guidance, since Scotland and Northern Ireland have different schemes.
Which messages should I keep?
Messages about the condition at move-in, repairs, the cleaning, move-out arrangements, deductions and the agreed return. Keep photos and the inventory with them.
How do I tidy them?
Export the chat as a text file (see the WhatsApp export guide), then make a dated PDF of the relevant period. Keep the original file untouched. Do not edit or delete messages.
Do schemes want the whole chat?
Schemes decide what evidence they accept and how. Check their guidance for format and size. A short, dated extract with a clear list of what each item shows is generally easier to read than many screenshots.
Does a chat prove the deposit should be returned?
No. Messages show what was said. Whether a deduction is justified is decided by the scheme or a court. This page promises no outcome. See also preparing chat evidence for your lawyer and Shelter's advice (not opened here).
Privacy
The file is read and the PDF is built in your browser. No chat or attachment is uploaded and there is no account. Hashing happens locally too. Read the privacy policy and the disclaimer.
Sources (checked 2026-10-29)
- GOV.UK, "Tenancy deposit protection": https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection (opened 2026-10-29: England and Wales schemes are Deposit Protection Service, MyDeposits and Tenancy Deposit Scheme; the deposit stays protected while a disagreement is resolved)
- Sources marked "not opened" were not opened while writing; check the current text yourself.
Related guides
- Small claims evidence checklist for chats
- How to share only part of a chat fairly
- Preparing chat evidence for your lawyer
- WhatsApp evidence for small claims
- How to export a WhatsApp chat
Ready to try it?
Drop your exported chat file on the convokeep app for a free preview. The first 3 pages are free (watermarked, no integrity page); saving the full PDF is a one-time paid feature. No chat or attachment is uploaded: the file is read in your browser. To check later that a file is unchanged, use the hash checker.
This document was generated locally in the user's browser; no content was uploaded.