Landlord Accreditation

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Landlord Accreditation

• Neil Marsden
• Residential Landlord Association

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What is accreditation?

• The voluntary compliance with locally
  negotiated standards with landlords and/or
  properties being positively acknowledged as
  compliant by use of the accreditation status

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Control of standards in the PRS

• Links between poor housing poor health
• Poorly managed tenancies - distress
• Need for controls to safeguard health, safety
  welfare of tenants
• Local Authorities are the enforcement agency
• What form should those controls take?

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Types of controls

• Traditionally statutory enforcement action
• Reactive statutory notices
• Proactive HMO selective Licensing
• Inherent weaknesses in regulatory systems
• What is the alternative?
• Complementary use of voluntary accreditation
  targeted statutory enforcement

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Historical Origins

• Started mid 1990s
• Shared student houses problems with HMO
  legislation standards
• Solution - self regulation thro accreditation
• Landlord support for non statutory regulation
• Councils need good landlords
• Realisation of market benefits of accreditation
• Idea caught on spread!

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Positive Drivers

• Widespread support .. central local govt.,
  landlord assns., educational bodies
• Government approved National Code of Standards
  for Larger Student Developments
• Accreditation Network UK (ANUK)
• Law Commission .. recommends increased
  self-regulation

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What are Accreditation Schemes

• Voluntary schemes for the PRS
• Reasonable physical management standards
• Acknowledge encourage responsible landlords
• Quality Benchmark for prospective tenants
• Enhance reputation of private landlords
• Provide support for landlords
• Foster better relationships between Councils
  landlords

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Who Operate Them

• Local Authorities
• Higher Education Accommodation Offices
• Agencies nominated by Education Institutions
• Combination partnerships
• ANUK
• London Landlords Accreditation scheme
• Regional schemes

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What schemes comprise

• Physical standards
• Management standards
• Landlord tenant relations
• Accredited tenant scheme

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Physical standards requirements

• State of repair
• Adequate amenity provision
• Avoidance of overcrowding
• Fire safety
• Security
• Energy efficiency
• Visual appearance

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Management requirements

• Proper tenancy agreements
• Fair dealings with tenants
• Complaints procedure
• Repairs timescales
• Regular property inspection
• Maintenance programme

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Accredited tenant scheme

• Paying rent on time
• Co-operation with the landlord
• Respect for the property
• Observing fire safety measures
• Keeping gardens tidy
• Proper refuse management
• Avoidance of anti social behaviour

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Standards required

• Basic minimum legal
• Rolls Royce
• Reasonable
• Starred categories

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Types of Scheme

• Property accreditation
• Landlord accreditation
• Landlord self certification

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Benefits for tenants

• Helps to identify good landlords good
  properties
• Problems dealt with outside legal system

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Benefits for Landlords

• Negotiation first, enforcement last protocol
• Partnership working with the Council
• Council consultee
• Good landlord status .. good for business ..
  marketing advantage
• Enhancement of reputation of private rented
  sector

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Benefits for landlords

• Provision of essential information
• Informative newsletters
• Landlords forums
• Landlord professional development courses
• Enhanced access to Council services advice

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Benefits to landlords

• Grant assistance
• Group discounts
• Housing benefit services perks
• Bond guarantee schemes
• Reduced HMO licence fee reduced property
  inspection
• Peace of mind

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Community benefits

• Properties are well maintained
• Improvement of community relations
• Improvement of community safety

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Benefits to local authorities

• Councils need good private rented properties for
  their citizens
• Complies with the Governments policy for
  supporting private landlords
• Frees up enforcement resources to deal with the
  minority of irresponsible L/Ls

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Accreditation the future

• 40 of Councils in England operate schemes
• No. of schemes being launched is increasing
• Current Government review of PRS regulation
  includes accreditation
• The road to greater self regulation

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Model for regulating standards

• Dont like regulation? then dont invest!
• Be responsible join a self-regulatory
  accreditation scheme
• Statutory enforcement to deal with the baddies
• Model has Government endorsement

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To join or not to join?

• I dont need to join!
• Costs vs. benefits
• Dare I put my head above the parapet?
• If in doubt speak to other accredited landlords
  ask for references
• Ask for an informal property inspection
• Will I be victimised .. NO YOU WONT

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The final message

• GET JOINED UP!

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ANY QUESTIONS? THANKYOU FOR ATTENDING THIS
SEMINAR