As a landlord, it is important to maintain a consistent rental income stream to cover expenses such as mortgage payments, repairs, and maintenance, while also providing a reliable source of income. However, encountering unpaid rent can be a difficult situation to know how to navigate, especially amid a cost-of-living crisis.
Here, we present a rent arrears case study and explain how TDS Resolution helped the team resolve the issue
TDS Resolution offers a property mediation service specifically designed for resolving mid-tenancy disputes. The primary goal of this complimentary service is to assist all parties in agreeing on a solution, in order to prevent costly court hearings or potential evictions.
In addition, TDS Resolution assists landlords in proving they have complied with the Pre-Action Protocol relating to proceedings before Court. Most importantly, it facilitates the negotiation of rent arrears repayment plans between landlords and tenants.
The role of TDS Resolution in resolving rent arrears and restarting payments
This case study involves a landlord who requested the assistance of TDS Resolution in mediating a dispute regarding overdue rent. The tenant agreed to participate in the online mediation and the conciliation process commenced.
The disagreement
For several months, the tenant had failed to pay their rent. This was a source of great stress and concern for the landlord, who had a mortgage to cover. However, the landlord did not want to initiate lengthy possession procedures and instead, wanted to try and maintain the tenant's occupancy.
The tenant had refused to pay rent because they thought the landlord had violated their legal responsibilities towards the property and their tenancy agreement. They believed that this problem led to higher than necessary bills for specific aspects of the property. Therefore, the tenant felt the landlord should deduct this expense from the rent owed as compensation.
The landlord addressed the problem as soon as it was brought to their notice and believed that since the issue with the property was resolved, the rent, along with the overdue payments, should be paid.
Mediating conflicts
Through the TDS Resolution process, both parties were given the opportunity to express their complaints and explore potential solutions in a fair environment with TDS’s unbiased mediation. Through providing an online resolution platform to listen to each other and explain, the landlord and tenant were able to gain a better understanding of each other's perspectives.
The solution
As a result of the resolution process, the landlord presented the tenant with a proposal concerning the outstanding payments, which also included a sum of money as compensation for the tenant. The tenant agreed to this proposal and in exchange, committed to resuming their regular rental payments.
Effective communication is often the key to resolving a situation like the one in this case. Frequently, both parties share a desire for the tenancy to continue, but strong emotions and a lack of communication can prevent that from happening. TDS Resolution can step in to help resolve the issue.
Are you experiencing a mid-tenancy dispute?
We’re here to help.
TDS Resolution is a free, impartial property mediation service dealing with mid-tenancy disputes, including issues like rent arrears in this case study. To find out more, visit our webpage and request a call-back. Our friendly team will contact you for a confidential chat.
About TDS Group
TDS Group is the leading tenancy deposit protection and resolution service provider in the UK making life easier for tens of thousands of agents, landlords, developers, and millions of tenants and homebuyers. TDS is backed by Propertymark, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA). Through our charitable foundations, we are working to improve standards in the Private Rented Sector. TDS is a not-for-profit company with offices in Hemel Hempstead, Glasgow, and Belfast.
For more information visit www.tdsgroup.uk
