The London Landlord Accreditation Scheme (LLAS) will provide you with the necessary skills to run a successful business. A partnership of landlord organisations, London Councils and university accommodation units have worked together to set up a development programme which will provide you with the information necessary to improve your business. Irrespective of whether you are new to the business or are already running a successful portfolio, to be accredited under the LLAS will assist your business and give you access to many useful services and benefits.
This new, pan-London scheme was launched at the London Landlords’ Day on 9th July 2004 at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre.
It is a partnership scheme, involving all appropriate landlord organisations, educational organisations and the 33 London Boroughs.
The Scheme is Different!!
- Most existing landlord accreditation schemes throughout the country in effect accredit properties, not the landlord.
- The LLAS aims to accredit the landlord him/herself, following successful completion of an approved property management course
Why Accredit Landlords?
- The Government is promoting landlord accreditation schemes as an effective means of improving the private rented sector for the benefit of all.
- The LLAS is founded on the belief that the more knowledge and awareness landlords have regarding the key property management issues, the more likely it is that their properties will be maintained to a higher standard, their tenants' safety and health will be improved and, perhaps of equal importance to landlords, their businesses will be better protected against falling foul of the complex laws surrounding the letting of residential properties.
The Benefits to Participating Landlords
- Improved and up-to-date knowledge of the key issues of property management and landlord-tenant legislation
- Comprehensive reference material covering all aspects of private sector letting
- Discount and preferential consideration opportunities with insurance companies, banks, building societies, building materials suppliers, etc
- Improved access to local authority services (including helplines and hotlines) for housing advice, housing benefit advice, etc
- Integration with existing borough accreditation schemes
- Increased confidence that the business is ‘getting it right’
Scheme Outline
Background
Stemming from an idea amongst Officers in a number of London Boroughs, preparatory work took place to consult all London Boroughs and allied organisations on the feasibility of introducing a London-wide Landlord Accreditation Scheme. The consultations resulted in the formation of a Steering Group comprising representatives from most of the London Boroughs together with key landlord associations and educational organisations.
The London Landlord Accreditation Scheme (LLAS) is one which will be based on delivering managerial development (ie training) for participating landlords. Integral to it will be the 'fit and proper person' concept, which will be closely linked to a Code of Conduct which every accredited landlord must sign up to.
Whilst an important element of the information to be delivered will relate to the physical state and management of their properties, accreditation under the scheme will not be directly related to the actual condition of the properties owned by the landlord applying for accreditation (although certain elements may be covered generally by the Code of Conduct). It is therefore a scheme which looks to accredit landlords rather than their properties.
It should be noted that the LLAS will not affect in any way property standards or other accreditation schemes operated by individual Boroughs, but it is intended to be entirely complementary to them.
The SchemeThe LLAS recognises the utmost importance of landlords having a wide and detailed knowledge of the many issues surrounding the letting of residential property.
Educational development of participating landlords will therefore form the king-pin of this scheme to ensure that they fully understand their obligations not only in a legal sense, but also the more general responsibility they have to the communities in which their properties are situated. Issues such as current legislation, basic structural requirements, tenancy agreements, inventory control, gas/electrical safety, harassment and illegal eviction will be covered, as well as the delivery of comprehensive information on Housing Benefit procedures and other relevant matters.
It is envisaged that a basic level of knowledge/information will be possible to communicate within a day, or its equivalent, but further 'training modules' may be developed to take interested landlords to a more detailed level of attainment in particular areas (eg HMOs, Housing Benefit, etc).