In a bid to resolve ongoing tenancy issues, a landlord approached TDS Resolution, our mid-tenancy mediation and conciliation service. The landlord needed assistance in resolving property access and rent arrears issues with their tenants during their ongoing tenancy.
The Case
An expert co-ordinator from the TDS Resolution team contacted the landlord to discuss their initial enquiry and discovered further concerns. Not only was the landlord chasing rent arrears and access to the property, but they also needed to address clutter concerns, after a gas safety engineer visited and warned that items were being left on top of the cooker. Further to this, the landlord wanted to confirm exactly who was living at the property, as this had become unclear.
Mutual Consent and Mediation
The landlord was initially unhopeful of a successful outcome, yet wanted to try what they could to help improve communication with their tenant and resolve the mid-tenancy issues.
Following the landlord and tenant's consent, TDS Resolution arranged a mediation session, with both parties demonstrating a genuine desire to amicably resolve their issues, foster a harmonious relationship, and continue with the tenancy.
The Mediation Process
The mediation, conducted via a three-way video call on Microsoft teams, lasted approximately two hours, with the mediator guiding the discussion and ensuring a focus on constructive dialogue.
The landlord wanted a written agreement that would include a payment plan so that the rent arrears could be cleared, and access to the property for an inspection to take place so that they could address any maintenance works required.
The tenant agreed to the payment plan, to keep the property uncluttered/clean, and provide to the landlord full names and contact details for who was residing at the property.
Further issues arose during the mediation, such as garden maintenance issues and pet ownership, that had not been previously mentioned. They were also addressed during the session.
The Compromise Agreement
After thorough discussions, a compromise agreement was reached, encompassing multiple agreements:
1. Mutual apologies were exchanged regarding perceived forced access, with an understanding established regarding future property access.
2. A payment plan spanning three months was agreed upon to clear the rent arrears.
3. An independent inventory company was enlisted to conduct an inspection within the next 4 weeks.
4. The landlord offered garden trimmers to the tenant for maintaining the hedges, to help with garden maintenance.
5. The tenant agreed to provide the full names and contact details of adult children residing at the property.
6. Despite discovering unauthorised pet ownership, an agreement was reached, allowing the tenant's cat to stay provided the property remained clean and uncluttered.
Successful resolution
The parties reached a fair agreement with the assistance of TDS Resolution, demonstrating that mid-tenancy mediation can effectively resolve issues between tenants and landlords.
Are you experiencing a mid-tenancy dispute?
We’re here to help.
TDS Resolution is a free, impartial property mediation service dealing with mid-tenancy disputes, including issues like rent arrears in this case study. To find out more, visit our webpage and request a call-back. Our friendly team will contact you for a confidential chat.
About TDS Group
TDS Group is the leading tenancy deposit protection and resolution service provider in the UK making life easier for tens of thousands of agents, landlords, developers, and millions of tenants and homebuyers. TDS is backed by Propertymark, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA). Through our charitable foundations, we are working to improve standards in the Private Rented Sector. TDS is a not-for-profit company with offices in Hemel Hempstead, Glasgow, and Belfast.
For more information visit www.tdsgroup.uk
