DISPUTE RESOLUTION SERVICES
Deposit disputes
We provide free dispute resolution services for tenancy deposit disputes arising from protected deposits with one of our tenancy deposit protection schemes. Through our software solution and conciliation activities we aim to resolve most disputes by agreement but where this is not possible our adjudicators will make a binding decision on how the deposit should be split between the landlord and the tenant, based on the evidence that has been submitted to them to consider.
New Homes Ombudsman Service
The Dispute Service has been commissioned by the New Homes Quality Board to operate the New Homes Ombudsman Service. This service, subject to validation by the Ombudsman Association, is planned to be operational early in 2022 and will resolve disputes between homebuyers and developers of new homes. The Ombudsman will be able to consider complaints about breaches of the new Homes Quality Code up to two years from the time the new home was purchased.
We have been resolving disputes across the UK since 2003.
We are a Complaint Handler member of the Ombudsman Association, hold the Government’s Customer Service Excellence Award and the BSI 10002 accreditation for Customer Satisfaction with Complaint Handling. We are also a Government Approved provider of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Deposit disputes
We provide free dispute resolution services for tenants and landlords who cannot agree about the allocation of a security deposit at the end of the tenancy. The service is available to resolve disputes about deposits that are protected in one of the Group’s deposit protection schemes [TDS Insured, TDS Custodial, TDS Northern Ireland, SafeDeposits Scotland or Zero Deposits]. We seek to resolve these disputes through our on line negotiation tools, through our early resolution and conciliation service and if necessary through a formal adjudication decision which is binding on both parties.
These services operate under contract or licences from the governments across the UK and we are required to meet strict performance targets for resolving disputes.
We deal with over 20,000 disputes each year.
Conciliation and mediation
In 2020 we launched a new service to help landlords and tenants resolve mid tenancy disputes [for example over rent arrears, repairs issues or customer service matters]. TDS Resolution covers such disputes in England and SDS Resolve provides a similar service in Scotland.
This is a free service where our trained staff seek to help landlords and tenants resolve their disputes as an alternative to going to Court.
Redress and Ombudsman services
We have been appointed to deliver a new Ombudsman redress service in 2022 which will provide a free service for consumers to complain about the services provided by businesses from whom they have made a major purchase. More details will follow when this service is formally announced. This service is subject to validation by the Ombudsman Association