Government considers ‘deposit passports’ in yet another rental reform

Save!! A large number of tenants are barely managing to afford to pay their rent let alone paying to put food on the table. I don't think you live in the real world!!

The difficult for people moving between properties is that it is an exceptionally expensive time, even if moving between properties of commensurate value. Between moving costs, exorbitant estate agents fees, having to pay a month's rent up front and a security deposit of the same value etc. it puts a strain on most people's finances, plus if people are moving for work they may not see another pay day until the following month end. Most people don't have a spare few thousand pounds to cover these costs, especially with the reticence displayed by some landlords and letting agents in returning deposits in a timely manner.

I'm not suggesting this is anyone's fault or the tenant's new landlord's problem, however to say 'Why can't they just save up like everyone else has to if they want something,' displays staggering ignorance to the realities people moving face. It's not like they If we can come up with a way to make it easier for tenant's to move then this is better for the market and for landlords getting new tenants in.

James Harvie. Which exorbitant estate agent fees are you referring to? We don't charge the tenants any fees.

Sue Kelly. Which world do you live in? People aren't struggling to pay rent or put food on the table where we are. The council pay so much out in benefits they live a better life than I do.

Gordon Brown, this burden has been reduced since the tenant fee ban. However, you cannot be serious in suggesting that agencies hadn't been charging excessive fees for work, most of which is automated, of several hundred pounds.

You may have been a good Samaritan, but most agencies are run by incompetent greedy morons with not the first inkling of business acumen, hence the appalling reputation the industry has as a whole. I can honestly say that a sweeping wave of professionalism is desperately needed to clear up the amateur s**tshow that is the PRS. Between most agencies, many landlords, and the councils and charities trying their best keeping the worst tenants in properties at the expense of landlords, it is a shambles from top to bottom. Landlords and tenants both get shafted by the way the sector is at the moment.

I'm 24 and have only worked in the PRS for a year whilst doing my masters degree and this has been more than readily apparent to me, so I fail to understand why nothing gets done, but I'll be glad when I finish my degree and can move on.

They do if they are on benefits: forced loan by the councils of six weeks rent whilst they sort out the admin. Then the rent is usually paid to the tenant directly and that's when they move out having defrauded the benefits Housing Department Office, the local tax-payers and the landlord. So some tenants are already asking us to pay their rent! Wakey wakey! Best not to take anyone on benefits. Sorry but this is the sad reality!

Sue Kelly
This is not a page for disgruntled tenants to vent off at letting agents

Steve Sykes - I agree with you in principle and wish it were that simple. The problems are slightly obscure but big obstacles none the less;

(a) The deposit "protection" schemes (a big misnomer in itself) are big business and lining pockets so not likely to be abolished even though completely unnecessary and just another legacy of damage from the incompetent Blair Government and its ridiculous failure, the Housing Act 2004 (though in so many ways all subsequent regimes have been almost equally devious, damaging & incompetent, and May's is probably by far the worst)...

(b) the government LOVES these schemes because they finally help provide some stats and real details they never had before about landlords, the properties they own, rents charged, deposits taken and names and addresses.... all potentially very useful to them in the long run (if they ever get their act together with HMRC and sharing data) for investigating and collecting tax etc. And in theory all policed for them for free by bribing tenants big-time (with a 3-times the deposit "winnings" for snitching), and scaring the landlords with yet another piece of undermining of the validity/enforceability of the s.21 notice.... Yes, its "Big Brother" stuff with a sledge-hammer-to-crack-a-nut approach.... are you surprised?

Before the 2004 Act (that came into force for the deposit provisions on Good Friday in 2006 when all bank systems were down so Day-1 was its first test and a complete fiasco - I remember it well... another brilliant piece of planning and "due diligence" - not - by the government). Before it there was no real problem anyhow because there were plenty of legal protections available for tenants to take on rouge landlords and chase for their refunds, if valid. all that was needed - if anything - was perhaps to make it easier for tenants to make claims and to add/improve better ADR (that comes with the "protection" schemes) instead of the existing courts mediation service that can be good but isn't perfectly tailored to tenant deposit disputes.

That would not guarantee the deposit amount required if any deductions is made against rent arrears, damages caused by tenants etc