The Tenancy Deposit Scheme’s adjudication team has issued 1,744 reports in the last three months.
Three-quarters of all the adjudications were delivered within 21 days, and the average time taken to resolve each dispute was 16 days.
Just over half the disputes (52%) were to do with cleaning – the highest proportion yet. Damage led to 45% of disputes, followed by redecoration, gardening and rent arrears.
The TDS said that disputes are becoming increasingly more complex and involve several issues.
Most of the disputes (52%) were raised by tenants, 36% by agents and 12% by landlords. The average amount of deposit that was in dispute was 65%.
In the last five years, the TDS has awarded the full amount to the tenant in 22.84% of cases, to the landlord in 19.22% of cases, and in 57.94% the adjudication has resulted in a split of the deposit money.
Comments
Presumably the average 16 days clock started ticking when all of the necessary paperwork had been provided by both sides and the disputed amount (or the whole deposit if still held by the agent) had been paid in?
Anecdotal evidence is still that all three schemes still take far too long - so heaven help us if, as TDS says, claims are becoming "more complex".
One assumes these claims are also independently audited?