This week has seen a degree of excitement in the world of Tenancy Deposit Protection. We know….the excitement is just too much to bear.
A new tenancy deposit scheme appeared to have set itself up earlier this month calling itself MyTenancyDeposit. Its website described itself as a custodial scheme. This was a surprise to the three government approved schemes and indeed to the Department of Communities and Local Government as no such scheme had in fact been authorised. Much paper was expended behind the scenes and the telephone wires turned red hot!
All has now been revealed. Looking at the website today it appears that MyTenancyDeposit had already registered with the MyDeposits scheme and was, in effect, acting as a deposit taking agent protecting its holdings with the MyDeposits scheme. They are now apparently taking legal advice as to whether they can continue to operate.
While it appears that there was no intent to evade the provisions of the Housing Act 2004 the website was, at best, deceptive about the actual method of operation of the system. Given that the system was essentially free and actually paid £10 to agents who registered deposits with it, it is hard to see how it was actually going to make any money as its earnings on the deposits would be limited to that obtainable as interest on a ring-fenced account.
Anyway, the system may reappear depending on legal advice given. However, MyTenancyDeposit may find it hard to persuade MyDeposits, or any other provider, to work with them.
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The Life and Death of Tenancy Deposit Scheme
This week has seen a degree of excitement in the world of Tenancy Deposit Protection. We know….the excitement is just too much to bear.
A new tenancy deposit scheme appeared to have set itself up earlier this month calling itself MyTenancyDeposit. Its website described itself as a custodial scheme. This was a surprise to the three government approved schemes and indeed to the Department of Communities and Local Government as no such scheme had in fact been authorised. Much paper was expended behind the scenes and the telephone wires turned red hot!
All has now been revealed. Looking at the website today it appears that MyTenancyDeposit had already registered with the MyDeposits scheme and was, in effect, acting as a deposit taking agent protecting its holdings with the MyDeposits scheme. They are now apparently taking legal advice as to whether they can continue to operate.
While it appears that there was no intent to evade the provisions of the Housing Act 2004 the website was, at best, deceptive about the actual method of operation of the system. Given that the system was essentially free and actually paid £10 to agents who registered deposits with it, it is hard to see how it was actually going to make any money as its earnings on the deposits would be limited to that obtainable as interest on a ring-fenced account.
Anyway, the system may reappear depending on legal advice given. However, MyTenancyDeposit may find it hard to persuade MyDeposits, or any other provider, to work with them.