19 April 2012

my|deposits, a government-authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme, has released a series of adjudication case studies to give landlords and letting agents a behind the scenes look at how deposit disputes are resolved.

The good news is that only a little over 1% of deposits protected with my|deposits give rise to a dispute needing formal resolution at the end of a tenancy.  In this unlikely event, the scheme offers a free and impartial service to landlord and agent members and their tenants who, despite advice and assistance, are unable to come to an agreement over the return of the deposit money.

The case studies are actual adjudication decisions, covering issues such as damage caused by a frozen pipe leak in winter, garden maintenance and unfair re-letting fees.  The case study library will be expanded each month with new examples of common dispute issues.

Eddie Hooker, Chief Executive, my|deposits, said:

“Often landlords and letting agents who are facing a dispute with a tenant aren’t sure of the process adjudicators go through to reach their decision.

“These online case studies will lift the lid on the adjudication process and will provide detailed reasoning on how the adjudicators reach their decisions.

“We want our landlord and agent members to be better informed in the unlikely event of a dispute, and that means providing quality evidence to substantiate their claims for withholding the deposit. 

“The law clearly states that the deposit remains the tenant’s money and that they are entitled to get it back at the end of their tenancy provided they have met the terms of the tenancy agreement.  The onus therefore lies with the landlord or agent to provide evidence.  Anyone facing a dispute might find these case studies useful when preparing their evidence for submission.”

The case studies can be found on the my|deposits website at http://www.mydeposits.co.uk/landlords/casestudies

For more information about my|deposits, visit www.mydeposits.co.uk or call 0844 980 0290.

-ENDS-

For further information, please contact:

Dane Svenson

Press Officer

my|deposits.co.uk

E: dane.svenson@mydeposits.co.uk

T: 020 7840 8925

M: 07508 031 084

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About mydeposits.co.uk:

Mydeposits is the trading name of Tenancy Deposit Solutions Limited, a company jointly owned by the National Landlords Association and HFIS plc T/A Hamilton Fraser Insurance (the Scheme Administrator) to deliver an insurance-backed tenancy deposit protection scheme under contract from Communities & Local Government. Landlords and letting agents wishing to use this scheme are required to register with the Scheme Administrator. They can find out more and register by visiting www.mydeposits.co.uk. Registered members of the Scheme are able to protect and unprotect deposits at the beginning and end of tenancies. Fees are tax-deductible. In the event of a dispute at the end of the tenancy agreement, both parties are offered access to alternative dispute resolution (ADR). This procedure will be evidence-based, relying on documentation and records.