Most tenancies end amicably. Landlords and tenants agree for a suitable amount to be deducted from the deposit and the tenancy agreement is terminated. These deductions most often centre on outstanding cleaning and repair requirements, the everyday issues that still need to be paid for. But for a small proportion, estimated to be as low as 2%, the end of a tenancy means the start of a dispute. Here we explore how to reduce this possibility and resolve the impasse as quickly and painlessly as possible.