Martin Partington CBE QC has been appointed Chairman of The Dispute Service, the organisation that runs the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. A former Law Commissioner, Professor Partington will take over from John Hornsey after May 5. John Hornsey remains a member of the Board.

Professor Partington has significant experience in many the private rented sector. As a Law Commissioner, he was responsible for the commission’s work on housing law reform, including their major report Renting Homes and as a member of the Civil Justice Council, Prof Partington chaired the Sub-Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution.
The Scheme has also announced that it is to form a User Group to replace the current Council. It is hoped to recruit members to this Group to reflect all the geographical, size and structural differences in the membership.

Despite the loss of LSL, parent company of Your Move and Reeds Rains, with 584 lettings branches it has also been confirmed that over 92 per cent of the letting agent members (2,622 lettings firms) of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme have renewed their subscriptions along with corporate and private landlord members. LSL followed Countrywide in switching their tenancy protection to Mydeposits.