The advice on rent and deposits is very simple:

1. Everyone pays a deposit of one month’s rent before moving into a new place
2. Everyone pays their rent at a regular and set interval, for example every week or on a certain day of a month
3. Everyone should be clear on the arrangements for giving notice that they want to move out and under what circumstances they’re not entitled to get a deposit back
4. Everyone who plays by the rules should get their deposit back in full once they move out.

If you don’t play by the rules, this is what you can expect:

1. If you’re not willing to pay a deposit, don’t expect to move in anywhere, no matter how good friends you are with the landlord, the person whose room you are taking over or how much a favour you think you’re doing for the landlord, previous tenant of that room or current tenant
2. If you don’t pay your rent in full on time, expect your flatmates and your landlord to be not very happy with you, no matter how justified you think you are or how hard the times you’ve fallen on are.
3. If you moved into a shared house or apartment and handed over your deposit to a departing tenant be aware it may be your responsibility to get a new tenant in to take your place in order to get your deposit back. If you don’t bother, don’t expect to get a deposit from the other tenants or the landlord.
4. Leases usually have a provision that deposits will not be returned if the property or its contents are damaged or removed. Do damage, don’t expect your full deposit back. But if you’ve been a perfect tenant don’t let yourself be taken advantage of by a ruthless Dickensian landlord, you have entitlements.

They’re the basics, if you’re looking for the official stuff go to Your Rights and remember, don’t be a wallflower or a rampaging hooligan!