News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members other artilces from the December 2001 / January 2002 issue RPI news archive

RLA launches assurance schemes - December 2001 / January 2002

Pushing ahead with its campaign to increase the standards of management in the private rented sector, the RLA has launched two ground breaking quality assurance schemes.

Its important new landlords accreditation scheme provides a seal of approval to those RLA members who commit to its requirements. These include, for example, agreeing to always provide tenants with written receipts for deposits, to outline what deposits cover, and to account fully for them at the end of the tenancy. Accredited members will also be required to become members of the Independent Housing Ombudsman’s Scheme when this becomes accessible to private landlords.

Another requirement will be only to let property that is subject to a current Property Inspection Certificate (PIC), the launch of which was the second of the RLA assurance initiatives.

Prepared by landlords, with the documentation available free to RLA members (through its website - www.rla.org.uk), PICs will comprise a simple checklist allowing landlords to assess the suitability of a property for letting. Such issues as structural stability, state of repair, kitchen and kitchen facilities, electrical wiring and gas installations are covered.

A recent survey revealed one in six properties in the UK is unfit to live in because of unsatisfactory cooking areas, explained RLA chairman Martin Moylan.

PICs, he said, were ‘a key addition to our portfolio of benefits which help landlords make sure tenants get the very best service available. It is important that we do everything in our power to make sure people are not housed in unfit tion and this simple checklist will help landlords ascertain the suitability of a property while also allowing tenants peace of mind’.

Drawing attention to the RLA’s accreditation scheme, Moylan has written to Minister for Housing, Planning and Regeneration, Lord Falconer, requesting a meeting to discuss selective licensing and accreditation, and support that might be forthcoming for private rented sector initiatives to improve standards.

See later in this issue for full details of the accreditation scheme.
 

other artilces from the December 2001 / January 2002 issue

• 'Joined up' thinking overdue
• RLA launches assurance schemes
• Jail term for landlord who raped tenant
• Electronic gas certificates
• Byers promotes limited licensing
• 'Cancer risk' with roofing felt
• Government changes law to reverse court benefits loss
• Deprived areas have stamp duty 'abolished'
• Reader win rates refund
• In brief
• Evicting the 'Rigsby' image