Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing private rented sector tenants' protections and rights of redress against (a) landlords and (b) letting agencies under private rented sector deposit protection schemes.

Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) schemes play a vital role in protecting tenant deposits and providing free alternative dispute resolution, should a deposit dispute arise at the end of a tenancy. TDP providers are appointed as authorised schemes through government concession contracts.

My department is responsible for managing these contracts and monitoring schemes’ performance. The contracts are due to expire in 2026, and as part of the re-procurement we will be reviewing the current system and exploring what improvements can be made to ensure the best possible service for tenants and landlords.