Mydeposits.co.uk has reported a rise in the number of protections taken out by letting agents over the past year.

The tenancy deposit scheme said agents purchased 65% more deposit protections in 2010 compared with 2009.

Each agent purchased an average 46.3 protections last year, compared to an average 28.2 protections in 2007 when mydeposits.co.uk launched. And individual landlords have taken out nearly half of all protections during that time at 49%.

Eddie Hooker, chief executive of mydeposits.co.uk, said: “Mydeposits is able to offer the same deposit protection and award-nominated dispute resolution services to both landlords and agents.