Tenancy Deposit Scheme claims it is helping landlords and tenants

The TDS is a complete waste of time where Landlords are concerned, in over twenty experience, not once have they granted me compensation, the first time the tennant left with a wrecked kitchen, even the waste pipe in the kitchen had been removed, doors off etc, their response, fair wear and tear, another the tennant, left every wall damaged every painted surface damaged the whole place filthy, blinds damaged beyond repair, their response fair wear and tear.
It’s anti Landlords TDS. I could go on with other examples but what the use .

tenant deposit scheme does nothing for the landlords recently my flat had 7 heaters 6 heaters broke the tenant didn’t do it. just look at the money they receive in interest from London over night banking LYBOR

they have millions of Landlords money. they do not argue about the the damage on our behalf. they just trying make they can keep the money from deposits to receive interest it must be a small fortune

Another landlord rip off by government. This money should be held by landlords as strictly speaking it’s paid to them and for them to decide what damages or unpaid rent needs to be deducted. Landlords now have to spend hours with paperwork(unpaid) or pay a high fee to a letting agent to set these up.
In some countries landlords take deposits which they do not pay back but use just to refresh , no questions asked.

Reply to the comment left by Geoffrey Whiffen at 26/02/2026 – 09:11
I’ve had similar experiences so now I don’t take deposits because when the landlord uses the scheme it costs money and by getting a tenant moving in without waiting for the deposit to be sorted I as a landlord am not losing out on a couple weeks rent whilst having a good kick teeth with paying premium rate council tax on that extra couple of weeks whilst waiting to sort a pointless deposit along with fees for the handling of the deposit.

TDS is a scam. They have no idea what contractors in london charge – damage to wall TDS only gave what they thought it should be – sisnt even cover the cost of materials. Tenants agreed to clean curtains then said they weren’t dirty. We both took photos – mine date stamped showing the dirt, tenant photo had chair covering the dirt – even though photos showed the same room and curtains TDS said the colour of the curtains was wrong. Sent in photos of kitchen damage TDS claim no evidence. I wrote back and told them evidence was sent in. They finally agreed it was sent but after they had already refunded disputed amount to tenants. Im taking TDS to ombudsman for procedural errors and incorrect assumptions. Whole process is flawed.

A complete whitewash. This socialist run organisation only helps tenants and hates landlords.

Reply to the comment left by G Master at 27/02/2026 – 23:49
But what will happen when all or most private landlords leave the sector and corporates move in. The government/councils are already short of housing.What excuse then.

I’ve been using the TDS for 20 years and they have never helped me in a tenant dispute, in fact, they have actively worked agains me even though I could prove the wrongdoing and cost to me the tenant caused. Their answer was simple and totally agains landlords, if the tenant does not agree to returning some or all of the deposit to the landlord then the TDS will only do so with a court order, which in most cases will cost more to get that the deposit is worth.
TDS is not fit for purpose and a joke for landlords forced to use such an unfair system.

%100 correct