I'm answering this review in order to ensure that you fully understand the reasons behind the decision, and so that the public at large are not misled by your comments. First, the situation regarding Holding Deposits in law is clearly stated by Shelter, here: https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/tenancy_deposits/holding_deposits You'll see that Shelter state that if an applicant gives false or misleading information to try to secure a property, the agent is entitled to retain the holding deposit (in this case £276). I wouldn't normally want to draw attention to anything to do with your personal situation, but as you have put slurs about Northwood into the public domain, I have to point out that you have an active CCJ against you and you opted not to reveal this yourself. Any landlord is entitled to decline an application from someone with an adverse credit history. You may also note that Shelter make clear that a Holding Deposit will only be taken by an agent from one applicant at a time. By giving us false information that led to us trying to progress this property for you, you actively denied the opportunity for any other applicant to make this their home for a considerable period of time. At a time of critical shortages of properties in the rental sector, this is manifestly unfair and unreasonable on your part. The retention of a Holding Deposit is not in any sense some sort of penalty for non-disclosure, it is a partial recovery of the costs incurred in processing your application, covering referencing costs and excessive wasted time incurred in discussing the situation with you and with the landlord. No-one wanted your application to fail, but false information made it rather inevitable. It is hard to conceive that you did not know you had a CCJ, but even then the team here did what they could to advise you how to resolve things for your future benefit. It's probably hardly worth me mentioning it, but perhaps once you have considered the true facts you will think that accusing hard-working people of theft is wholly unworthy - you ought to withdraw that comment, however unhappy you may be - we too are unhappy at wasting time and precious resources on services that any successful applicant receives absolutely for free.