Can new mobile phone app create harmony between tenants and landlords?

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Communities, Finance

A new mobile phone app launched by Shelter Scotland could smooth relations between tenants and landlords.

The 'Housemate' app can create a comprehensive digital record of a property's contents and condition which can later be used to avoid deposit repayment disputes.

Shelter has claimed that Housemate's inventories, which include photos, are so detailed that there can be little reason for arguments over deposit repayments to occur.

Housemate, which is currently only available on iPhone, was created by Shelter Scotland's in-house digital team and is being launched to complement the arrival of Scotland's new Tenancy Deposit Scheme.

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, the housing and homelessness charity, said: “Too many tenants have all or part of their deposit withheld unfairly and their chances of arguing successfully for its return are often compromised by a lack of evidence.  With Housemate, both tenant and landlord will have the proof they need.  Not only does it create a full record of what a property contains and the condition it’s in, it also includes photographic evidence.  The resulting inventory can then be shared via email.  It’s simple but highly effective.

“We hope that for users of Housemate, arguments over deposits will become a thing of the past and landlords and tenants alike can enjoy a positive, mutually-beneficial relationship.”