TDS Resolution, an association between the Dispute Service and the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), is extending the remit of its service to cover a wider range of landlord and tenant disputes.
TDS Resolution was originally launched in July 2020 to help landlords and tenants resolve rent arrears issues through mediation and facilitate agreements for suitable rent arrears repayment plans.
The experience of this scheme is that cases are being referred to it too late, which means that not much can be done to agree a suitable rent reduction plan. The service is therefore about to expand to cover a wider range of landlord-tenant disputes and in an effort to deal with these much earlier so there is a greater chance of securing a successful resolution.
This extended offering will be a conciliation/mediation service, meaning experienced dispute resolution staff employed by TDS Resolution will play an active role in trying to resolve landlord-tenant disputes.
Since 1 April 2021, the extended service has been free of charge and accepts referrals from tenants as well as landlords. The move to a free service comes in the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
Steve Harriott, chief executive of the Dispute Service, said: “TDS Resolution has made great strides since its launch in helping parties reach suitable rent arrears repayment plans. The Dispute Service has always been committed to raising standards in the Private Rented Sector and making peoples’ lives easier.
“The extension of the service, to cover a wider range of landlord and tenant disputes, is an important step in achieving our goal. The service will also provide useful evidence to back up the NRLA’s call for a National Conciliation Service to deal with these types of disputes across England and Wales.”
Welcoming this initiative Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA, added: “We welcome the introduction of this pilot, which the NRLA believes can go a long way towards putting conciliation firmly at the heart of landlord-tenant relationship.
“Conciliation is a key element of the NRLA’s Renters’ Reform Bill proposals and it is our view that with the Renters’ Reform Bill rapidly approaching there is a pressing need for a more efficient system, which provides easy, convenient access to resolving disputes for landlords and tenants alike.”
