Cleaning-related issues accounted for 29.37% of all tenancy deposit disputes in 2025, marking the fifth consecutive year that cleaning has been the primary cause of disagreement between landlords and tenants, according to data from The Deposit Protection Service (DPS).
Property damage ranked as the second most common reason for deposit claims at 18.42%, followed by rent arrears at 16.45%. The figures highlight ongoing friction points in the rental market, which has seen recent regulatory changes affecting landlord-tenant relationships.
Five-year trend analysis
The DPS data reveals a steady increase in cleaning-related disputes over the past five years, rising from 24.57% in 2021 to 29.38% in 2025. Redecoration claims have also shown notable growth, increasing by 3.4 percentage points since 2021 to reach 10.88% of all disputes in 2025.
Damage claims rose from 14.60% in 2021 to 18.42% in 2025, whilst rent arrears disputes decreased from 17.71% to 16.45% over the same period. The ‘other’ category, which includes miscellaneous claims, fell from 26.30% in 2021 to 13.31% in 2025.
Implications for landlords and tenants
Matt Trevett, managing director at The DPS, noted that the consistency in dispute reasons over five years suggests systemic communication issues at tenancy end. The organisation reported that fewer than 5% of all protected deposits result in disputes, with a free dispute resolution service available when agreements cannot be reached.
Under current tenancy deposit regulations, landlords may deduct reasonable costs from deposits to cover expenses incurred during a tenancy. The data comes as the rental sector continues to navigate broader market pressures affecting both landlords and tenants.
The figures suggest that clearer communication about property condition expectations and cleaning standards at both the start and end of tenancies could reduce the volume of disputes entering formal resolution processes.