In September 2018, The Tenants’ Voice was acquired by Deposit Recovery Claims – a specialist company dedicated to assisting tenants. Deposit Recovery Claims has been a trusted partner for over a year and we’re very excited and happy to be joining their family.
After 6 years of independent operation, we believe this new venture will provide us with the opportunity to broaden our reach and offer tenants new tools and services that will help them lead a better life on rent. Even more importantly, The Tenants’ Voice will transcend from a content publication to an organisation with access to legal advice giving us an opportunity to help tenants beyond just providing information.
Exciting times are coming, but let us introduce the company which makes it all happen.
Deposit Recovery Claims is a specialist advice and litigation service for deposit disputes in rental properties.
Landlords are required by law to protect tenancy deposits in deposit protection schemes. The schemes are backed and authorised by the government to hold these funds until the tenancy is terminated. When the tenancy ends, the deposit protection scheme would assist the tenant in safely reclaiming their money. If there are any deposit claims, such as missing rent or damage to the property, the scheme will also provide fair adjudication to allocate fund where due.
Since April the 6th, 2007, all private landlords must go through a mandatory deposit protection procedure in a scheme of their choice. When they receive a tenant’s deposit, they have 30 days to complete the procedure and serve the tenant with information about the scheme, prescribed information and a “How to Rent” booklet.
The Government introduced these regulations to stop landlords from abusing their power and profiteering from tenants’ deposits. When the money is held or insured by an approved scheme, landlords cannot simply make deductions that they deem appropriate. They must prove their entitlement to the authorised scheme.
To ensure landlords obey the law, the Government also introduced a harsh penalty for not conducting adequate deposit protection. Landlords who miss the allocated time-frame, make errors, or intentionally don’t protect their tenants’ deposit are liable for a statutory fine. If tenants are able to prove that their deposit was not handled correctly they are eligible to receive compensation between 1 and 3 times the amount of the original deposit. In some circumstances the award can be more.
That’s where Deposit Recovery Claims comes in. The company has established itself to provide help and legal assistance to tenants whose landlords have failed to properly protect their deposits. Tenants who suspect that their deposit is not protected correctly can call the FREE advice helpline and receive consultation from trained advisors who know the rules relating to deposit protection and the penalties for non-compliance.
As a testament to their service to the community, Deposit Recovery Claims released a free to use a tool – The Tenancy Deposit Checker. The tool helps any tenant or landlord to check if their deposit is properly protected in one of the three authorised schemes in England & Wales. Check your deposit takes only a minute and is completely free – no strings attached.
Any tenant who discovers that their tenancy deposit is not properly protected can pursue a claim. Deposit Recovery Claims are experts at these types of matters and only uses panel solicitors Mckays Solicitors Ltd to pursue claims from start to finish. After free consultation tenants can make an informed decision if they wish to pursue a claim. Claims work on a no-win-no-fee basis.
At The Tenants’ Voice, we believe that tenants should get all the information and tools available to monitor and manage their tenancy. We’re proud to host the Deposit Checker on our website and passionately recommend to all our visitors to use it and keep their tenancy deposits in check.
