4th
Apr 2016
Tenancy deposit schemes first came into operation in 2007 and recent figures show that more landlords, since implementation, have for the first time won 100% of the deposit at dispute adjudications.
From a history of tenants winning back their disputed deposits, the trend has been bucked as in 2015 19.8% agents or landlords have been awarded the full deposits in claims. Tenants won 19.2% of disputes with 61% of cases where the deposit was split equally between the landlord and tenant.
The previous year (2014) saw 20.25% of cases going in the tenants’ favour of 100% pay back, whereas agents and landlords won 18.21%.
The CEO of a company producing a digital inspection app for landlords and agents, Jax Kneppers, said: “For the first time, landlords and agents are now more successful than tenants at winning 100 per cent of deposits. This is a significant achievement – an 8.5 per cent increase year on year.”
He warned all landlords and agents to make sure that they provide water tight proof when taking their claim to adjudications.
Kneppers said “Unless landlords and agents have a water-tight inventory, they are at risk of disputes and expensive repair bills. The most common mistake in most inventories is the lack of detail. Often there is not enough appropriate photographs and any accompanying description to show the condition of the property and its contents. For example, many landlords and agents fail to record the condition of sinks and bathroom fittings, as well skirting, doors, floor coverings and kitchen units. If an inventory is not a professional and thorough report on the property, then it is not worth the paper it is written on.”
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