Traditional deposits cost tenants five weeks' rent upfront. That is the number one reason good tenants drop out. Centurion's insurance-backed alternative removes that barrier - providing landlords with 10 weeks of cover equivalent while keeping tenant costs affordable. Payments to landlords within 2 days. Enhanced commission for Propertymark members in the first six months.
The average tenant in the UK faces over three thousand pounds in upfront moving costs before they have taken a single key. A five-week deposit on top of first month's rent is often the difference between a tenant committing to your property and walking away to a competitor. Meanwhile your landlords are left underprotected if a tenancy goes wrong.
The tenant who passes your referencing with no issues cannot find five weeks' deposit because their previous landlord has not released the last one yet. They go to another property. Your void extends. Your landlord gets impatient. The traditional deposit system creates this situation regularly.
When a tenancy ends badly - significant damage, extended arrears - five weeks rarely covers the full cost. Landlords who discover this gap in protection lose confidence in your management service, even when the tenancy was managed correctly throughout. More protection means fewer difficult conversations.
The three-way argument between agent, tenant, and landlord over checkout charges is one of the most time-consuming parts of letting management. Adjudication through deposit scheme providers takes weeks. Centurion's mediation service simplifies and accelerates the resolution - getting landlords paid in two days rather than months.
Letting agents who only offer traditional deposits are turning away tenants who would make excellent long-term occupants but cannot assemble the upfront sum. Offering a deposit alternative alongside the traditional route widens your tenant pool without lowering your referencing standards at all.
The Centurion Alternative Deposit Scheme sits alongside your existing deposit process. Tenants who cannot or prefer not to pay a traditional cash deposit pay a fixed fee instead. Landlords receive insurance-backed cover equivalent to 10 weeks' rent. Your agency earns commission on every policy - with enhanced rates for Propertymark members in the first six months.
Centurion's ADS provides landlords with the equivalent of 10 weeks' rent cover for damage and arrears. That is double what a traditional five-week cash deposit provides. The cover is insurance-backed, giving landlords - and your agency - confidence that protection is genuine, not just contractual.
Tenant fees are fixed for the term of the tenancy and are based on the initial monthly rental value. Starting from as little as £120, the cost is a fraction of a traditional deposit. The fee can be paid by the landlord, by the tenant, or collected by your agency on Centurion's behalf - with a monthly payment option available via agent applications.
When an end-of-tenancy claim is agreed, Centurion pays the landlord within two days. Compare this to the weeks - sometimes months - that deposit scheme adjudication takes with traditional deposits. Faster resolution means happier landlords, fewer management fee disputes, and cleaner tenancy endings for your team.
Centurion operates a mediation service that simplifies the complex end-of-tenancy process. Rather than a three-way standoff between agent, tenant, and landlord, Centurion's service structures the resolution clearly. Your team is removed from the middle of the dispute - protecting your landlord relationship and your team's time.
Landlords who want additional protection beyond the standard scheme can purchase a Centurion extended guarantee, which covers missed rent and property damage above the standard policy limit. This gives landlords - particularly those with higher-value properties - a way to customise their cover to match their specific risk profile.
Sign up to Centurion through Propertymark and your agency receives enhanced commission rates for the first six months. On the Kerfuffle member route, your account manager reviews the full commercial structure with you before you commit - so you know exactly what each policy earns your branch from day one.
Centurion sits alongside your existing process. You do not replace your traditional deposit option - you add a second choice for tenants who need it. Your landlords get more protection either way.
Centurion's scheme is for tenants who pass your normal referencing criteria - not for applicants who fail checks. The alternative deposit removes the upfront cash barrier for tenants who are financially qualified but cannot bridge the deposit gap.
Your team presents the tenant with both options: traditional five-week deposit or Centurion ADS. Tenants who prefer to protect their cashflow pay the fixed Centurion fee. Tenants who prefer cash deposit use the traditional route. Your agency earns on both.
The tenant pays the fixed fee - either directly to Centurion or via your agency as collector. Centurion activates the insurance-backed cover immediately. The landlord's protection is in place before move-in. No waiting for a deposit transfer to clear.
At checkout, any charges are submitted to Centurion. The mediation service handles disputes. Agreed charges are paid to the landlord within two days. Your team documents the checkout and hands the process to Centurion - and gets back to managing your next instruction.
Centurion is a Propertymark Industry Supplier. Signing up through Propertymark unlocks enhanced commission rates for the first six months of trading. Kerfuffle and Compare The PropTech members access this route with their account manager reviewing the full commercial structure before any commitment is made.
Standard commission rate
Standard onboarding
Propertymark member via Kerfuffle route
Commission structure, fee arrangements and policy terms are all agreed per agency. Your Kerfuffle account manager reviews the full commercial detail with you before you are asked to commit - so you know exactly what each policy earns and what cover your landlords receive.
A walkthrough of the full Centurion Alternative Deposit Scheme: how the tenant fee works, how landlord cover activates, how the mediation service handles disputes, and what the commission structure looks like for your branch volume.
See exactly how the Centurion scheme works for your tenants and landlords, how your team presents the choice at move-in, and how the mediation service protects your landlord relationships at the end of tenancy. Bring your current deposit volume and the team will scope the commission opportunity for your branch.
Centurion's Alternative Deposit Scheme is built on the principle that renting should be affordable for all - without compromising the protection landlords need. The agents who move first attract a wider tenant pool without changing their referencing standards, and build landlord loyalty through better outcomes at checkout.
PropTech That Pays Back is the Kerfuffle initiative that rewards estate agents with kredits when they actually use what they have bought - not just when they sign the contract. Centurion is not on the platform presently. If you would like to see Centurion added and arrange a demo as part of the rollout, register your interest below.
Kerfuffle members get dedicated account management, enhanced Propertymark commission and terms reviewed before they commit. This is the shortest path to having Centurion live in your office.
Want to talk through how Centurion would work for your landlords and tenants?
Grab fifteen minutes with the Kerfuffle team. We will walk you through the member offer, answer your questions, and figure out the right fit for your portfolio.
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