So 7th April this all starts does it....

Well who intends to actually do any of this? Nothing I have read says very much, you give the deposit to Computershare Services Investor Plc or take out insurance - another insurance policy - nothing about schedules of condition to be filed with the deposit!
Now call me stupid but I would think this is a critical bit of information for resolving a dispute when I say the carpet was perfect and the tenant says not, a sign schedule of condition from when you moved in.....

Now if I have my tenants deposit and I don't give them the paperwork to say I have put it in any of these schemes they in reality do what for there under £1000 deposit, not pay the last months rent like all tenants do!!

BTW If my tenants pay there rent on time though the term I tend to be lenient when giving back deposits as you always need to tidy up a property imho

Unfortunalty more red tape from the government. More cost to us all.

You need to give the prescribe info to the tenants or you will be fined 3x deposit and wont be able to give them notice.

Does anyone know if its ok to protect a deposit when a landlord lives abroad, as long as they have uk address?

Don't think you have an issue with depositing the deposit in a scheme if the landlord is abroad. if they are out of the country for more than 6 months, you will need to agree how you are going to pay the 22% tax though.