My father has a rental property with a long term tenant. The tenant has refused. I have recently got involved and it appears that the letting agent refunded the deposit to the tenant last year on the basis he would then leave the property. He has not left but has continued to pay the rent however the deposit is no longer held in a DPS.
Can we still serve a section 21?
Note that where a deposit is not being held you are not protected from any issues, such as damages to the property, so recouping the deposit or serving notice to the tenant would be a good idea here.
He is getting on in years and vaguely recalls the conversation so I am working on the basis that he did agree to it being returned assuming that tenant would then vacate.