Assured Shorthold and Common Law Tenancies and Tenancy Deposit Scheme

It is standard practice for us to hold an amount from the tenant equivalent to six weeks rent during the tenancy against the satisfactory performance by the tenant of all the various obligations under the tenancy agreement – in particular those relating to the cleanliness and condition of the property.

Our professional tenancy agreement contains all the relevant clauses in the tenancy agreement setting out who is to hold the deposit, what the deposit can be allocated for and the end of tenancy procedures and timescales for its refund. In general, the best way for a tenancy deposit (bond) to be held during the tenancy is by the ARLA member agent as “stakeholder” between the parties (landlord and tenant). This means that at the end of the tenancy the agent should get the agreement of both sides before making any deductions for damage, cleaning etc.

We are signed up to the Deposit Protection Scheme, which means that in the event of an unresolved dispute or stalemate over the allocation of the deposit, it can be referred to the scheme for a prompt, independent, third party adjudication, providing a resolution which is fair to both landlord and tenant. Hart will ensure that your tenancy agreement is in full compliance with these regulations. Failure to comply with the new regulations can incur extremely hefty fines so it is essential they are taken seriously.