WhatsApp messages in a deposit dispute: TDS, DPS and mydeposits
Yes, you can send WhatsApp messages as evidence. The deposit schemes say text and social media messages count as correspondence, which can be very helpful to the adjudicator, and mydeposits names WhatsApp chats. Export the chat, pick the messages about each deduction, put them in date order in one PDF with page numbers, and upload it before your scheme’s deadline.
What the schemes say
- Each scheme offers a free dispute resolution service. You don’t have to use it, but if you do, both sides must agree. You’ll both be asked for evidence, and the decision is final.
- The three schemes’ joint guide says messages can help show when repairs were reported, when they were done, exactly what was agreed, and anything either side admitted.
- mydeposits asks you to arrange messages by date, so the adjudicator can follow what happened. It says to keep evidence relevant, avoid uploading a large bulk of it, point to where the relevant part is in a large file, group evidence by claim, and name files clearly.
- The DPS gives you 14 calendar days from its email to submit evidence. You can upload up to 40 MB at a time, as many times as you need within those 14 days. It accepts PDF and .txt files, among others. Its box for extra information takes 1,000 characters; for more, upload a separate document.
- mydeposits and TDS set their own deadlines and limits. Check your scheme’s emails and website.
How to do it yourself, free
- Export the chat from your phone and choose Without media. See how to export a chat. A computer may not hold the whole chat, so use the phone if you can.
- Keep the export file exactly as it is, and keep the chat on your phone. Do any cutting down in a copy.
- List the deductions in dispute. For each one, find the messages about it: reporting a problem, the reply, what was agreed, and the arrangements for moving out. Include the messages either side when they’re needed to make sense of one.
- Put the messages in date order, exactly as sent, with the date, time and sender. If several deductions are in dispute, group the messages by deduction.
- Add page numbers and a short index. Save it as one PDF with a clear name, such as WhatsApp-messages-repairs-and-cleaning.pdf.
- In your written comments, point to pages: “I reported the leak on 4 January 2026 and the landlord replied that day (page 2).”
- Upload it before your scheme’s deadline.
Or let ChatBundle do it
ChatBundle does the picking and the layout for you. Load your WhatsApp export: it’s read on your device. Check for free that your chat was read correctly, with a sample page of your own messages, before you pay. One bundle is £19, for one chat and one issue.
- After you pay, AI picks the messages that relate to the issue you describe. You untick any, or search the chat and add more.
- Message text is never changed. Each message shows its date, time and sender.
- The PDF has a cover, an index, page numbers and a short, neutral summary with page references.
- The cover shows a fingerprint of your export file, so the bundle can be matched to the original later.
What it doesn’t do: it only reads WhatsApp chat exports, not SMS, iMessage or screenshots, and it leaves out photos and voice notes. It doesn’t give legal advice, tell you whether messages can be used, or send anything to a court, tribunal or scheme.
Not legal or HR advice. This guide sums up what official guidance says. It isn’t advice on your case. Rules change, so check the current rules and any orders in your own case before you rely on them.
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