Deposit no longer protected ... - advice needed by tennant please

expat_jo

Hi

I wonder if anyone can advise me. We received a letter today from The Dispute Service saying that our

"agent ceased to be a member of their scheme on 24/02/10. This means that your deposit will cease to be protected by our scheme". It refers to, and includes a copy of, Notice 5A(5)(C).

The attached Notice states that we have been given "notice that, ..., I have made a determination that the scheme membership of XX Property Management* should be terminated. ... The deposit will no longer be protected from: 20/01/2011".

* Not sure if I can put the name here?

After checking other posts, I have looked at the letting agents website and they seem to be marketing 3 properties ... not sure if that means anything.

Anyway, what do you suggest we do next? Do we contact the landlords directly or the letting agents (or both?) Any advice greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.

G_M

Are you still in the property or have you moved out?
Have you started a dispute?
I'm surprised the scheme can simply return the deposit to the agent without your consent, however I would urgently contact the scheme for more information, and more importantly the landlord since it is with him that you have (or had) a contract and it is the LL who ultimately owes you your deposit.

expat_jo

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

We are still in the property - we have been happily renting for 5 years although we did discuss with the landlord (who we have a good relationship with) that we will start to try and find somewhere to buy this/next year. They agreed to the change of contract to a rolling one for this reason. We have only just started looking and so far have not found anything.

I was a bit concerned with the terminology "I have made the determination that the scheme membership of XX Property Management, should be terminated" (the bold is theirs not mine!)

clutton_2

one of the Schemes decided it was not making enough money and they decided to not accept any letting agents who were not a member of a professional body such as ARLA - maybe that is it ?

if it is not protected by this one scheme, ask your agent which other scheme now protects your funds......

G_M

expat_jo wrote: »

Hi

Thanks for the reply.


We are still in the property - we have been happily renting for 5 years although we did discuss with the landlord (who we have a good relationship with) that we will start to try and find somewhere to buy this/next year. They agreed to the change of contract to a rolling one for this reason. We have only just started looking and so far have not found anything.

I was a bit concerned with the terminology "I have made the determination that the scheme membership of XX Property Management, should be terminated" (the bold is theirs not mine!)

Reaso I asked is that you say the letter came from 'The Dispute Service', so I assumed you were involved in a dispute over the deposit with the LL/agent.

If this is not the case, contact the LL (HE is responsible) and ask where your deposit will now be held.

expat_jo

Thanks all. I am not unduly worried but you never know. I had never heard of The ispute Service and was worried about the terminology.

I will contact both the LL and ea to see where they have put the deposit now ...