#PressRelease: New Covid-19 Webinars from TDS Answer Tenancy Deposit Questions in Lockdown

After a successful first webinar event, which was attended exclusively by customers of Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), the government-approved organisation has created a series of free follow-up webinars for letting agents and landlords to tackle each of the three stages of a tenancy (pre-tenancy, mid-tenancy and post-tenancy), during the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the start of the pandemic, TDS were quick to respond to concerns and confusion in the private rented sector by creating a Covid-19 FAQ page, which published answers to frequently asked questions about tenancy deposits from landlords, letting agents and tenants.

The page proved so popular that TDS was invited to host webinars with other partners and organisational bodies including Rightmove and the NRLA. The deposit protection provider has now created a follow-up webinar series to provide further insight and interaction with its customers and wider audience in the PRS.

“The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting us all, and the health and security of our customers is our priority,” explained Steve Harriott, CEO of TDS. “Our online resource and subsequent webinars allow us to share best practice and help to provide clarity on government guidance as it changes.”

Common questions include concerns surrounding the deposit cap in light of temporary reduced rent, and the impact of delayed check-out inspections due to lockdown and social distancing measures.

The first webinar on pre-tenancy deposit concerns during Covid-19 received an excellent reception from attendees, with many commenting on how informative and relevant the content was to their situation:

One letting agent said, “I’ve done lots of webinars during lockdown, most of them on unreliable connections with someone’s bedroom in the background. The TDS webpage was brilliant, the notes section so helpful, the connection spot on and the slides visible exactly when needed.  Really slick, really professional and really helpful.  Thank you for all the great information and for being there for us lonely letting agents working from home!”

A landlord gave equally positive feedback saying, “Very helpful insight for landlords during these uncertain times.”

For anyone that missed the first webinar, a recording of the session is available on the TDS website here: TDS Information Lounge.

The following TDS webinar will feature questions and answers concerning post-tenancy stages. The next live webinar titled: ‘Managing End of Tenancy Deposits During Covid-19’ will be held on Tuesday 19th May at 11am, hosted by Sandy Bastin, TDS Head of Adjudication Services.

The webinar is free for TDS customers and non-member letting agents and landlords to attend. Places can be booked here.

Notes to editor:

• Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) is the only not-for-profit tenancy deposit protection (TDP) provider in the UK
• TDS created a Covid-19 FAQs page to help answer questions about Covid-19 and tenancy deposits – https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/covid-19/
• TDS offers both Insurance-backed and Custodial tenancy deposit protection schemes
• TDS has a free alternative disputes resolution service offering impartial dispute resolution and adjudication