Loopholes, bureaucracy and why I am returning all deposits
12:01 AM, 15th October 2026, 2 days ago
2
From time to time I find myself heads up against loopholes in the legal system that allow what I feel are bad tenants’ being allowed to delay, frustrate and impede. In all cases this has resulted in stress and additional costs, even though this was always a serious contractual breach by the tenant which became the sub-issue.
I fully support simplicity and clarity, but rental agreements became disjointed with additional documents being required to fulfil obligations. Not only does this appear unnecessary, it is a waste of resource and an expense.
The process is so regressive that even when tenants’ suffer no loss, such as the deposit was not placed into the scheme within 30 days but was present when needed, landlords’ face disproportionate punishment. Judges ruled the inconsequential breach should be penalised by allowing tenants to delay, to evade eviction by withdrawing legal routes available to landlords.
I am at a stage when I need to simplify things, I have a lot of experience of the deposit schemes, but have decided to return all deposits during the active tenancy. Firstly, I believe the interest the DPS make on the tenant’s deposit is equal to the total amount of disputed by tenants so deposit disputes are relatively few.
Secondly, I believe the tenants would be better off with their interest on their money.
Thirdly, I object to the way deposits have to be handled with additional “Prescribed information documents” these appear pointless – by largely duplicating what is already stated in the tenancy, thereby creating unnecessary time and cost.
So in a single and small stand against unnecessary bureaucracy, I am returning all deposits.
Paul
