Renting, Deposit Protection, Freedom of Information

OLDFLYBYNIGHT

Hello,
Are the Deposit Protection Schemes/Services subject to FOI requests?
Thank you ...

theartfullodger

Doubt it, don't think they are public bodies within the meaning of the Act. What information do you wish to acquire which, presumably, you've asked for in the normal way & been turned down?

Are you asking about England & Wales schemes and/or Scottish ones and/or Northern Irish ones?

OLDFLYBYNIGHT

This is in England.

My questions would be:

How many deposits have been fully paid to a landlord or agent, with agreement from a tenant?

How many tenants have claimed their deposit, and then in response to a landlord's input, agreed to 100% being paid to the landlord?

Thanks for your interest ...

HappyMJ

OLDFLYBYNIGHT wrote: »

Hello,
Are the Deposit Protection Schemes/Services subject to FOI requests?
Thank you ...

Subject to Data Protection Act. You can ask for a copy of any data held by them about you.

DPS is a private company owned by Computershare Investor Services Plc.

TDS is a private company known as The Dispute Service Limited

mydeposits is a private company and trading name of Tenancy Deposit Solutions Ltd

As they are all private companies the FOI Act does not apply.

HappyMJ

OLDFLYBYNIGHT wrote: »

This is in England.

My questions would be:

How many deposits have been fully paid to a landlord or agent, with agreement from a tenant?

How many tenants have claimed their deposit, and then in response to a landlord's input, agreed to 100% being paid to the landlord?

Thanks for your interest ...

They don't hold that information.

They are there for dispute resolution. Under 2% of all deposits require dispute resolution.

Landlords or tenants do not report what percentage of the deposit under the custodial scheme was returned.

OLDFLYBYNIGHT

As they are computer systems, I think that well written software could calculate/derive the information. Obviously excluding those cases that involve 'liveware' where an adjudicator gets involved.

HappyMJ

OLDFLYBYNIGHT wrote: »

As they are computer systems, I think that well written software could calculate/derive the information. Obviously excluding those cases that involve 'liveware' where an adjudicator gets involved.

That's just it...they only get involved as an adjudicator.

If tenant and the landlord's agent agree to the deductions then they do not know what went where.

The agent does not report that to the TDS.

Guest101

HappyMJ wrote: »

Subject to Data Protection Act. You can ask for a copy of any data held by them about you.

DPS is a private company owned by Computershare Investor Services Plc.

TDS is a private company known as The Dispute Service Limited

mydeposits is a private company and trading name of Tenancy Deposit Solutions Ltd

As they are all private companies the FOI Act does not apply.

FOI can apply to private companies in respect of income / work paid for from the public purse.


However the request the OP has would fall outside of the 25 hour limit.

Guest101

OLDFLYBYNIGHT wrote: »

As they are computer systems, I think that well written software could calculate/derive the information. Obviously excluding those cases that involve 'liveware' where an adjudicator gets involved.

The FOI is about information held, which is why there is a £500 (25 hr limit on requests) - your request has very little actual merit anyway.

OLDFLYBYNIGHT

I thought these companies held the deposit, I guess in a sort of 'client account', and then paid the money out.

I thought they stored all the information about the parties involved, and held the money, and when sufficient data was submitted by all parties, and stored 'for audit purposes', they paid the money(s) to the agreed bank account(s).

Are you saying that the agent holds the money?
Or, if no agent is involved, the landlord holds the money?

Guest101

OLDFLYBYNIGHT wrote: »

I thought these companies held the deposit, I guess in a sort of 'client account', and then paid the money out. - only the custodial scheme. The other 2 are insurance based. IE if the LL / Agent fail to pay out, the scheme pays it and then pursues the LL / Agent

I thought they stored all the information about the parties involved, and held the money, and when sufficient data was submitted by all parties, and stored 'for audit purposes', they paid the money(s) to the agreed bank account(s). - Only the custodial scheme.

Are you saying that the agent holds the money?
Or, if no agent is involved, the landlord holds the money?

Correct either the agent or the LL hold the money in the insurance based schemes