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My Oyster card has physically broken (it's bent and no longer reads). The ticket office advised me to buy a new one and phone the support line to get the credit transferred, but can I also get the £5 deposit refunded?

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    You'd normally only get a "deposit" back if you returned the item (undamaged). So probably not.
    – CMaster
    May 24, 2016 at 8:56
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    In the end, TfL did in fact refund my deposit and send me a new Oyster card.
    – Gremlin
    Jan 30, 2018 at 9:10

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The TfL website does not mention a deposit refund for faulty Oyster cards. They only mention that after you get a new card they will transfer the credit and passes you had on the faulty card. Quoting from TfL:

Faulty Oyster card

If your Oyster card doesn't work when you touch it on a yellow card reader, it may be faulty.

You'll need to get a new Oyster card and add some pay as you go credit. Staff at a Tube station may be able to issue the new card for you with some credit on it.

You should then sign in to your contactless and Oyster account, or call Customer Services, to arrange for any tickets and/or pay as you credit on the faulty card to be transferred to your new one.

If you had a discount on your faulty Oyster card, you will need to take it to a Tube station to get it reset. If necessary, remember to take your discount photocard with you.

It would seem that you can get a refund for the deposit only if you return an unneeded Oyster card:

No longer need your Oyster card?

If you no longer need your Oyster card, you can get a refund for:

  • Any unused pay as you go credit
  • The remaining value of any Travelcard or Bus & Tram Pass season ticket
  • Your deposit

If I were you I would contact TfL and ask them directly about the deposit refund for a faulty card.

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  • Thanks for this - Re If I were you I would contact TfL and ask them directly about the deposit refund for a faulty card., this is the plan, but I'm hoping to get some information on my side first ;)
    – Gremlin
    May 24, 2016 at 10:11
  • @Eoin, no need for thanks, but please read stackoverflow.com/help/someone-answers
    – Gayot Fow
    May 24, 2016 at 12:03
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    They just give you a new card so I assume that when you return that you get the deposit but don't know for sure.
    – Martin Smith
    May 24, 2016 at 23:18

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