Deposit-free renting provider flatfair has signed a partnership with Martyn Gerrard which has 12 branches across north London. 

The move will bring the platform to a wider audience, as thousands of tenants and landlords gain access to flatfair’s membership service.

Instead of taking a deposit, landlords using Martyn Gerrard can ask tenants to pay a one-off fee – equal to the value of one week’s rent – to join the payment technology firm, which offers residential landlords up to 12 weeks protection and a free debt recovery option for any additional claims.

Simon Gerrard, managing director at Martyn Gerrard Estate Agents, commented: “We are committed to constantly improving the rental experience for both our landlords and tenants, so we are delighted to announce our partnership with flatfair.

“flatfair has built up a stellar reputation for not only streamlining the moving-in process for renters, providing top-notch protection for landlords but also building trust between both parties.

“As the UK works to recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic, flatfair offers added peace of mind to landlords while doing away with up-front costs for renters, putting that money back in their pocket.”

The partnership also means landlords with Martyn Gerrard will be among the first to be able to use flatfair’s new Boost product. Boost allows landlords to top up their damage protection by up to six extra weeks on top of the maximum of five that a traditional deposit allows. Boost can be used either with flatfair’s No Deposit solution or with a traditional deposit.

Boost, which was launched by flatfair this month, also allows landlords to recover damage costs within just one working day of charges being agreed.

Franz Doerr, CEO of payment technology firm flatfair, said: “We are thrilled that Martyn Gerrard Estate Agents has joined flatfair’s growing roster of leading landlords, agencies and companies to recognise that renting is in need of a long-overdue overhaul.

“Having already saved renters across the UK more than a combined £10m, we strongly believe that technology is the best and most effective way to improve the renting experience.

“Not only do we deliver effective protection for landlords, we also offer a more streamlined approach to many of the insurance products currently available on the deposit replacement market.”