5 May 2011

A new 'Guide to Tenancy Deposits, Disputes and Damages' has been jointly published by all three government authorised tenancy deposit protection schemes today.

Since 2007 some 47,000 disputes have been settled by the schemes' alternative dispute resolution processes. The pooling of information on these disputes and their eventual outcomes has allowed the schemes to identify common issues and to work together to publish collective guidelines.

The guide covers items, such as the collation of evidence and what an adjudicator looks for when considering a dispute.  It also outlines the principles on which scheme adjudicators make decisions so that the process is consistent and transparent for letting agent, landlord and tenant alike.

Eddie Hooker, CEO of my|deposits, commented: "Whilst we are all competitors in the market, we do not compete on how we operate our dispute resolution services. It is right that all schemes follow the same principles and standards when dealing with deposit issues. Landlords and tenants should be able to understand the processes regardless of which scheme they use and expect a fair outcome to their dispute.”

Kevin Firth, Director of The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS), the custodial scheme, added: “This guide represents a significant benefit for tenants, landlords and letting agents and is another example of how tenancy deposit legislation has acted to improve standards in the lettings industry. Everyone can get hold of a copy for free and understand for themselves how disputes are adjudicated, potentially helping them avoid these situations in the future.”
Steve Harriott, Chief Executive of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) continued: “I’m delighted to see this joint approach between the schemes – we all follow consistent principles and it is only right that tenants and landlords get a uniform explanation of the approach taken, irrespective of which scheme they contact.”
 
The guide, which is now available on each scheme's website, also discusses issues such as how to avoid disputes in the first place, the types of evidence accepted by adjudicators and how to deal with common problems such as wear and tear.

This is the first time all three schemes have worked together to publish educational information which is aimed at landlords, agents and tenants alike. 

The guide can be view at http://www.mydeposits.co.uk/sites/default/files/mydep%20DDD%20ADR.PDF

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.