Renters in Edinburgh have topped a list of unclaimed tenancy deposits with the city having twice the number of unclaimed deposits than Glasgow, and three times more than Aberdeen.

New figures published by tenancy deposit scheme SafeDeposits Scotland reveal that over 900 people in the capital haven’t claimed back £218,735 in deposits at the end of their lease.

Within Edinburgh, the EH3 postcode area which takes in Fountainbridge and the New Town had the highest rate, with 204 tenants not reclaiming their deposits. However, in Newington and Blackford (EH9) over 20% of all the area’s deposits were left unclaimed.

The EH15 area around Portobello had the lowest proportion of unclaimed deposits, with only three residents’ deposits unaccounted for.

Victoria Nixon, operations manager at SafeDeposits Scotland, said: “It’s interesting to see the disparity in rates of deposits left unclaimed across the country and within Edinburgh. The reasons behind it may be complex and varied, and we can only speculate on what they may be.

“Some people may simply forget, some might think they won’t get it back, and others might think it’s an inconvenience. But in reality; the process is straightforward and should disputes over deductions arise, an independent adjudicator will work to find an amicable resolution for all parties.

“Tenancy deposit schemes like SafeDeposits Scotland were introduced to help tenants and landlords get a fair deal at the end of a lease agreement and claiming your deposit is straightforward.”