#AskTDS: “How does TDS engage with landlords and agents?”

Tags: TDS, Tenancy, Deposit, Scheme, legislation, protection, deposit, landlord, tenant, agent, custodial, insured, John King, customer, service

TDS’ #AskTDS blog series answers a tenant, landlord or agent’s question. This week, John King, Head of Member Services at Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) answers an agent’s question:

 “How does TDS engage with landlords and agents?”

At TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme), we work exceptionally hard to engage with landlords and agents to make the process of deposit protection straightforward. Tenancy deposit protection (TDP) is becoming increasingly digital-based but what’s really important to us is making sure we’re still on the ground, speaking to landlords and agents across the country.

Here for you

With 15 years of experience, partnered with RLA and launched by industry leaders RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) and ARLA I NAEA Propertymark, we’ve made a bit of a name for ourselves as a voice of authority.

We attend numerous landlord, agent and tenant events through the year, across the country. At these events, we share our experience and knowledge. We’re committed to working with landlords, agents and tenants as well as promoting best practice, when it comes to tenancy deposit protection.

TDS Academy

Thanks to our experience within the industry, we have the knowledge to have developed and offer training courses for agents, landlords and industry professionals through our TDS Academy.

The TDS Academy is open to all and is designed to simplify the often-complicated world of deposit protection. We offer three courses, so there’s something for everyone; the Foundation Course, Adjudication Workshop and Certification through the MOL Level 3 Propertymark Award in Residential Tenancy Deposit Protection and Management.

We also run bespoke in-house training on protecting tenants’ deposits to letting agents and property management teams, encouraging them to think like an adjudicator. This helps the team to understand how the adjudication process works and how deposit disputes can be resolved without any need for adjudication.

Customer Service

We have a dedicated operations team and we’re proud of our call and email answering times, with calls answered within 30 seconds and emails responded to within just a few hours (July 2018 averages).

Our operations teams works tirelessly to answer your questions and provide advice on topics ranging from registrations to tenant change-overs, deductions and disputes. Recently, our team was recognised for their hard work and dedication and awarded with the Customer Service Excellence Accreditation from the UK Cabinet Office for services that are ‘efficient, effective, excellent, equitable and empowering’.

Keeping members up to date

Our TDS team author twice-weekly blogs that provide real-life examples and answer some frequently asked questions.

We also produce downloadable materials that keep our members informed of any changes in tenancy deposit protection.

Help us improve

As well as talking to our members, we’re also here to listen. We visit landlords and agents across the country to listen to their feedback and experience of tenancy deposit protection so we can make the process even more responsive to the sector’s ever-changing needs.

You can find out more about both TDS Insured and Custodial schemes and join TDS at: https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com

 About John King:

John is a former practitioner in the lettings industry with over 25 years’ experience with a keen understanding of the Private Rental Sector. At TDS, he is the Head of Member Services and is a key member in our customer facing team.

John has presented training seminars, forums and industry events and has been involved in the successful TDS Academy training programme offered throughout England and Wales. He also operates a team of customer service advisors to assist with customer enquiries.

About TDS:

Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) is a government-approved scheme for the protection of tenancy deposits; TDS offers both Insured and Custodial protection along with a fair ADR service for disputes that arise over the tenancy deposits that we protect.

We provide invaluable training in tenancy deposit protection and disputes for agents and landlords through the TDS Academy as well as joining with MOL to provide the Technical Award in Residential Tenancy Deposits.

TDS Insured Scheme: where a TDS member can hold the tenancy deposits as stakeholder during the term of the tenancy.

TDS Custodial Scheme: where TDS hold the deposit for the duration of the tenancy.

TDS Academy: TDS provides property professionals with invaluable training in tenancy deposit protection and tenancy deposit disputes.
TDS Northern Ireland: TDS is Northern Ireland’s leading and only not-for-profit tenancy deposit protection scheme.

TDS can only comment on the process for our scheme, other deposit protection schemes may have a different process/require different steps. Content is correct at the time of writing.

These views are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the view of TDS, its officers and employees.