Tenancy law aims at protecting students
A NEW Tenancy Deposit Scheme, created to increase the protection of deposits taken by landlords, was put into practice on April 6. However, according to recent surveys, neither students nor landlords are sufficiently aware of the scheme and the ways to use it.
The Scheme is designed to protect deposits up to £25,000 and eliminate cases of landlords keeping the deposits on false property damage claims.
However, difficulties to successfully implement the scheme have arisen since a survey of the Deposit Protection Service has revealed that one in four landlords is still unaware of the change in law. Furthermore, a survey carried out by Nouse has shown only one in twenty students has heard of the new Scheme protecting their deposits.
Doubts have also been expressed about the effectiveness of the new law. One of the interviewed students commented on contacting the Scheme in case of conflict, saying, “It depends on your relationship with the landlord. If it’s good, there should be no problems, but if it’s bad, contacting a third party might complicate things even more.”
The Tenancy Deposit Scheme applies to every tenancy agreement signed after April 6. The landlord is obliged to follow one of two types of schemes to protect the deposit and inform the tenant about the choice within 14 days of signing the contract.
According to the new law, the deposit must be returned within ten days
Wescountry Landlords Association
At Westcountry Landlords Association we are endevouring to encourage and educate our Landlord Members to take note of this new scheme, by offering meetings, seminars and newsletter to raise awareness of this new legislation.
Manny Pisani
Chairman
Westcountry Landlords Association
P.O. Box 454
Plymouth PL3 4WL
carole von Aarberg
This has long been the case in Australia (I reached this site, cos I was looking for ‘tenancy in the UK.) But to save a lot of arguement, the govt keeps the bond. It is illegal to hold the rent in lieu of the bond, and there is a bad tenants listing. Because there is a clear and effective procedure, and everybody who owns their own home buys a 2nd to let, there are few very few bad landlords. Agents handle all the lettings. There is a standard mandatory form for $7,50 at all newsagents. You have 7 days to put in the bond, fill out the condition report, and you and the landlord get receits, booklets are available free from the rental bond board in many languages. Poms, backpackers, etc fall foul of this law because the standard is for 6 months, and they think they can leave after 3. You can’t, you have contracted for 6 months. So you lose your bond, If you want to stay for 3 months, ask for a non-standard and write it in. Most almost all flats (called units) are unfurnished. Carole
BS
IS this scheme compulsary? what if any landlord avoids to follow this scheme and try to have a mutual understanding with their tenants and avoid it, will it be still legal to make a claim against the landlord in the court in case things go wrong at the end?