The protection date is important
A landlord may have protected the deposit eventually, but the timing still matters. The key comparison is usually the date the deposit was received and the date the scheme record shows protection began.
If the protection date falls after the 30-day deadline, keep the certificate and your payment evidence together.
Use the eligibility check as the next step before trying to work out the claim alone.
Late paperwork can also matter
Protection is not the only requirement. Tenants must also be given prescribed information within the required period. A late certificate or missing information can be part of the same evidence trail.
Returned deposits do not always end the issue
If the landlord returned your deposit, that does not necessarily answer whether there was a previous breach. You still need to compare dates and documents.