Hunt for missing tenants takes to the streets of Edinburgh

• Over £200k of deposits unclaimed by Edinburgh tenants
• First ever Scottish ‘deposit clinic’ to take place tomorrow

More than £200,000 worth of deposits have been left unclaimed by Edinburgh tenants. This Saturday (January 27), for the first time, anyone who thinks they might be owed money can check what they’re due at Scotland’s first ever ‘deposit clinic’.

Running between 10am and 2pm at the foot of the Mound next to the National Gallery of Scotland, the free pop-up deposit clinic will see experts from SafeDeposits Scotland help members of the public find out if they’re missing out on money that’s due to them.

The team from the country’s leading deposit protection scheme will be on hand to answer any questions that tenants, landlords or agents may have about tenancy deposit protection in general, including what to do if there’s a dispute about how much of a deposit should be paid back at the end of a tenancy.

It is hoped that students in particular will take the opportunity to find out if they’re due money back with a large proportion of the unclaimed deposits believed to be left behind by this group.

Late last year, SafeDeposits Scotland found that renters in Edinburgh topped the list of unclaimed tenancy deposits. Over 900 people in the capital failed to claim back more than £200,000 in deposits at the end of their lease, more than double the number for Glasgow and three times higher than Aberdeen.

Within Edinburgh, the EH3 postcode area, which takes in Fountainbridge and the New Town, had the highest rate of unclaimed deposits, while the EH15 area around Portobello had the lowest proportion of unclaimed deposits, with only three residents’ deposits unaccounted for.

Victoria Smith, operations manager, at SafeDeposits Scotland, said: “We’re always surprised to find that people haven’t claimed back their deposits. The reasons behind it may be complex and varied, and we can only speculate on what they may be.

“Some people may simply forget, some might think they won’t get it back, and others might think it’s an inconvenience. But in reality; the process is straightforward and we’re making it even easier by taking to the streets of Edinburgh to try and reunite people with the money they’re due.

“If you think you might be owed money, or if you have any questions about deposit protection more generally, come and say hello to the team on Saturday.”

For more information and advice on reclaiming your deposit, visit: www.safedepositscotland.com