Posts with tag: NLA

NLA’s Latest Campaign Will Help Landlords

Published On: December 15, 2015 at 12:14 pm

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NLA's Latest Campaign Will Help Landlords

NLA’s Latest Campaign Will Help Landlords

The National Landlords Association (NLA) has launched a new campaign that hopes to help landlords in making their lettings businesses more profitable.

Reinventing Renting is designed to identify opportunities for buy-to-let investors.

The campaign includes many useful resources, including guides and presentations, on various topics. They will help landlords:

  • Choose the right investment.
  • Improve financial planning
  • Expand their portfolios and maximise gains.
  • Reduce their exposure to a range of risks associated with renting out property, including: imminent interest rate rises, rent arrears and rogue tenants.

Reinventing Renting focuses on the landlords that are struggling to make a profit, by exploring different business approaches and tenant markets, while offering assistance to landlords hoping to make their business more profitable.

The campaign arrives after announcements in the summer Budget and Autumn Statement, which could seriously hit profitability within the sector.

The NLA has also identified some of the good and bad characteristics of being a landlord in its Vogue or Rogue section.

Chairman of the NLA, Carolyn Uphill, says: “As the leading landlord association, we’re here to provide landlords with all the tools and information needed to make a success of letting.

“Over the next few months, Reinventing Renting will look at some of the key issues for landlords and provide support and tips to improve the way they run their business.

“The campaign has something for both new and experienced landlords and will be particularly useful for those who are struggling to make things work or worried about how the changes to mortgage interest taxation will affect them in the future.”1

For more landlord advice, look here: http://www.landlords.org.uk/reinventingrenting

1 http://www.landlords.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/nla-launches-new-campaign

New NLA Register Will Help Tenants Find Out if Landlord is Accredited

Published On: April 21, 2015 at 11:07 am

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The National Landlords Association (NLA) has launched a new initiative allowing tenants to find out if their landlord is accredited.

The National Register of Accredited Landlords will enable tenants to check if their landlord is accredited and is accessible to every accredited landlord and accreditation service.

New NLA Register Will Help Tenants Find Out if Landlord is Accredited

New NLA Register Will Help Tenants Find Out if Landlord is Accredited

Richard Lambert, CEO of the NLA says that the organisation wishes to raise awareness of accreditation and showcase those who are dedicated to offering a good service.

It is believed that accreditation helps improve standards and encourages best practise in the private rental sector. Accreditation educates landlords and helps with their professional development.

At present, the NLA works with more than 65 local councils and five universities in England. The scheme is also recognised by a further 50 local authorities.

The NLA is also an accreditation partner of the London Rental Standard, which worked closely with the Mayor of London on creating the scheme last year. The Register works towards the NLA’s vision of having all members accredited by 2020.

Lambert explains the significance: “Accreditation is a badge of knowledge and competence that landlords should shout about. We should be encouraging tenants to check their prospective landlord and find out whether they have reached accredited status.

“There’s more pressure on improving standards in the private rented sector than ever before and we’re trying to lead the way for landlords to become accredited, which is a huge challenge because currently there’s no fundamental need to do so.

“However, too often the landlord community is unfairly tarred with the brush of illegality or incompetence shown by just a minority of the industry, which isn’t an accurate picture of private renting.

“We want accredited landlords to put their details on our new register so they can set themselves apart, and for tenants to have a quick and easy look up for peace of mind that they can rely on their landlord.”1

The NLA has contacted all existing accreditation schemes to call for support of the Register and to verify the landlords who register as members of those systems.

1 http://www.newslocker.com/en-uk/profession/real_estate/nla-launches-new-landlord-accreditation-scheme/view/

What is the NLA?

Published On: September 5, 2014 at 4:14 pm

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Categories: Landlord News

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The National Landlords Association (NLA) aim to provide landlords with all of the knowledge they need to let their properties in a safe, secure, and mutually beneficial manner.

The 50 Acts of Parliament and 70 sets of regulations surrounding the private rental sector can put a lot of pressure on landlords, so it is vital that they fully understand their legal requirements.

What is the NLA?

What is the NLA?

The NLA lobbies the Government on behalf of their members, to strive for a fair system for landlords and tenants alike. They also educate their members on their statutory rights and responsibilities.

The NLA has more than 55,000 members and associates, from full time landlords, to those with Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs), to those with one-bedroom flats.

Their regional representatives and braches offer support for NLA members and local authorities.

Being at the centre of the Government’s decision making, the NLA influence politicians and civil servants, to ensure any changes are reasonable and non-discriminatory.

The NLA celebrated 35 years of operation in autumn 2008. Throughout this time, they have made many steps in protecting landlords and their tenants:

  • Tenancy Deposit Protection: The NLA worked with the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) to lobby against a Government plan to have just a custodial scheme. This would make it obligatory for a landlord with an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) to give their tenants’ deposit to a third party. The NLA successfully overturned this proposal, permitting landlords to keep hold of their tenants’ deposit if they wish.
  • HMO licensing: If the NLA did not step in, the already complex area of HMO licensing would be even more difficult. The views of landlords are now taken into account when ordering the regulations.
  • Section 21: The NLA emphasised the terrible consequences that can arise from amendments to Section 21, a landlord’s ability to regain possession without grounds. The NLA highlighted that there are bad tenants, as well as bad landlords.
  • Energy efficiency: The NLA lobbies for the initiation of the Landlords Energy Saving Allowance (LESA), and also for its continuation after the proposed end in 2009. The LESA will now stay in place for another seven years. Under the scheme, landlords can use a tax allowance of £1,500 toward making energy efficiency improvements to their rental homes.
  • Fire safety: The NLA teamed up with the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) to form a procedure for identifying if local authority or fire authority should conduct inspections on different types of property. This stops landlords having to have duplicate inspections, which require different standards.
  • Improved sector representation: The NLA announced on 6th October 2010 that it is to team up with the UK Association of Letting Agents (UKALA). These joint forces should make revolutionary progressions in the industry.

The NLA tries to encourage the image of the private rental sector as a valuable investment. They work alongside the national and local Government, to provide a fair set of regulations for landlords, ensuring a healthy relationship between landlords, letting agents, and tenants.

 

 

 

 

 

NLA to Accredit all Landlord Members by 2020

Published On: May 22, 2013 at 12:41 pm

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At the joint Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH)/National Landlords Association (NLA) Private Rented Sector Conference on Tuesday 21st May 2013, the NLA announced that it will accredit all landlord members by 2020.

Deputy Chairman of the NLA, Carolyn Uphill, made a speech on providing an excellent service in the private rental sector, in which she outlined the NLA’s Vision for Accreditation.

NLA to Accredit all Landlord Members by 2020

NLA to Accredit all Landlord Members by 2020

The NLA is certain that landlord accreditation is vital to ensuring high standards in the private rental sector, and they recommend all landlords, members and non-members, to be accredited by the NLA.

The Vision for Accreditation will provide all NLA members with an opportunity to display their understanding and capability of being a landlord.

Accreditation will become a focus on NLA membership, demonstrating how NLA member landlords are different from other, non-accredited investors.

To become accredited by the NLA, landlords must complete an NLA foundation course, either at a seminar or online, and continue learning through continued professional development (CPD).

Landlords can contribute to CPD by joining landlord meetings and conferences, further landlord development courses, and studying NLA information.

The NLA highlight the importance of management skills and professional development, to guarantee that landlords understand their responsibilities and fulfil the standards and regulations of the private rental sector.

Many landlords, policy makers, and local authorities support the scheme.

Carolyn Uphill comments: “We believe that NLA membership should be synonymous with landlord professionalism, and accreditation is a significant factor in helping us achieve this. To have all our members accredited is an ambitious target but realistic in the lead-time provided.

“By demonstrating a level of competence represented by NLA accreditation, NLA members will be able to set themselves apart through evidence of their commitment to quality and standards.

“We all need to work together as an industry to improve the reputation of our sector, and NLA members can play an important role through leading by example.”1

1 http://www.landlords.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/nla-commits-accredit-all-members-2020