News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members other artilces from the May / June 2005 issue RPI news archive

RLA unveils scheme to recognise top landlords - May / June 2005

THE Residential Landlords Association is launching a ‘top tier’ membership scheme. The idea behind the initiative, which will promote continuous professional development, is to mark out the country’s best private sector landlords.

The scheme, which was due to be launched at the Annual General Meeting on April 19, is a response to landlords’ demands for a formal recognition of quality service. Although various accreditation schemes have been introduced by universities and local authorities, most fall short of a management standard, says the RLA.

The new Registered Members Scheme will be open to all existing members who have taken an RLA or approved tenancy management course within the last three years and are prepared to commit to an ongoing personal update programme.

RLA chairman elect Chris Town said that registered membership would “become the stamp of a good, professional landlord who meets the highest values of the association”.

He went on: “We have, for a long time, held the view that regulation of property standards is worthless without a parallel management standard.

“Research among local authorities has also shown that, with the implementation of the Housing Act, they face the challenge of giving guidance on standards, licensing landlords, and policing the Act.”

The Registered Members Scheme will now identify to local authorities individual landlords who have the backing of their professional association and who merit passporting into a recognised accreditation scheme.

To tenants, it demonstrates they are dealing with someone who is aware of their obligations and the industry standards that have to be met. Landlords who want to differentiate themselves and their properties will be able to display the RLA logo on stationery and printed material, with the words ‘Registered Member’.

The Association plans to roll out the scheme alongside its training programme which, in the last year, delivered tenancy management courses for landlords in conjunction with some 20 local authorities.

Town said: “The demand for this registration scheme can only grow as the Government and local housing departments seek to sort the wheat from the chaff among landlords.”
 

other artilces from the May / June 2005 issue

• Home truths
• Landlords relieved by landmark ruling
• Homes Direct must abide by law
• RLA BRIEFING
• RLA unveils scheme to recognise top landlord
• Housing Act ‘badly drafted’
• Highlights of a busy year
• Tax