Deposit Return dispute resolution referrals: FOI release

Information requested

1. I request a detailed breakdown of the Deposit Return breakdowns each month for the last five years for all deposits that have gone to Arbitration.

2. This will show what proportion of money each month is going to Landlords and how much is going to Tenants.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested:

We do not hold data on the number of deposits that have gone to arbitration (reported by the schemes as dispute resolution) each month for the last five years. We do, however, hold data on how many referrals are made each year for dispute resolution provided by the tenancy deposit schemes in their annual reporting. The percentage of the total referrals which are awarded to the landlord, tenant or where the award is split between the two is also provided. This can be found alongside the average value of these awards in the tables below.

Reporting period 1 April 2019 - 31 March 2020

Letting Protection Service Scotland

No. of referrals for dispute resolution is 1052.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	15%	£413.27
Award to tenant	26%	£354.86
Split award	59%	£187.24 (landlord) £257.40 (tenant)

Mydeposits Scotland

No. of referrals for dispute resolution is 1366.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	36%	£368
Award to tenant	28%	£280
Split award	36%	£369

SafeDeposits Scotland

No. of referrals for Dispute resolution is 4260.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	14%	£389.29
Award to tenant	19%	£300.14
Split award	67%	£358.38

Reporting period 1 April 2020 - 31 March 2021

Letting Protection Service Scotland

No. of referrals for Dispute resolution is 436.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	12%	£511.74
Award to tenant	21%	£368.12
Split award	67%	£178.75 (landlord) £244.11 (tenant)

Mydeposits Scotland

No. of referrals for Dispute resolution is 999.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	14%	£316
Award to tenant	14%	£342
Split award	72%	£415

SafeDeposits Scotland

No of referrals for Dispute resolution is 3577.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	19%	£323.46
Award to tenant	17%	£288.08
Split award	64%	£176.67

Reporting period 1 April 2021 - 31 March 2022

Letting Protection Service Scotland

No. of referrals for Dispute resolution is 369.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	11%	£377.68
Award to tenant	23%	£310.61
Split award	66%	£179.03 (landlord) £247.57 (tenant)

Mydeposits Scotland

No. of referrals for Dispute resolution is 849.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	18%	£354
Award to tenant	14%	£293
Split award	68%	£427

SafeDeposits Scotland

No. of referrals for Dispute resolution is 3588.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	17%	£403.25
Award to tenant	19%	£363.16
Split award	65%	£430.30

Reporting period 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2023

Letting Protection Service Scotland

No. of referrals for Dispute resolution is 366.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	15%	£447.35
Award to tenant	20%	£319.20
Split award	65%	£151.87 (landlord) £268.87 (tenant)

Mydeposits Scotland

No. of referrals for Dispute resolution is 927.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	22%	£379
Award to tenant	8%	£324
Split award	70%	£444

SafeDeposits Scotland

No. of referrals for Dispute resolution is 3378.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	13%	£560.67
Award to tenant	19%	£385.88
Split award	67%	£456.57

Reporting period 1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024

Letting Protection Service Scotland

No. of referrals for Dispute resolution is 366

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	13%	£317.46
Award to tenant	25%	£404.73
Split award	62%	£200.21 (landlord) £242.18 (tenant)

Mydeposits Scotland

No. of referrals for Dispute resolution is 1142.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	16%	£426
Award to tenant	14%	£356
Split award	71%	£460

SafeDeposits Scotland

No. of referrals for Dispute resolution is 3835.

	% of total	Average value of award
Award to landlord	12%	£204
Award to tenant	20%	£295
Split award	68%	£259

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