A new qualification in tenancy deposit management has its first graduate.

Jamie Banner has become the first member of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme to complete the Level 3 Award in Tenancy Deposit Protection and Management.

The course was set up by TDS in collaboration with the National Federation of Property Professionals to provide a better understanding of lettings and deposit protection, helping them progress their careers and give an even better customer experience.

It is the only tenancy deposit protection qualification in the private rental sector market.

Banner said: “This award is a fantastic follow-up to the NFOPP Level Three Technical Award in Residential Letting and Property Management.

“It helps you further your knowledge in deposit protection and develops your understand by giving you insight into the way that our independent adjudicators make their decisions.”

Steve Harriott, chief executive of TDS, said: “TDS has supported this qualification as we can easily see when disputes are being handled by professional and well qualified staff in letting agencies and inventory firms.

“We want to encourage as many staff as possible to take up this new qualification and to join us in raising standards in the lettings industry.”