NALS ups its campaign to become licensing body

The National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) looks to be upping the ante as it seeks to be the independent body responsible for the mandatory licensing of all letting and managing agents.

A forum on licensing was held yesterday. Chaired by Lord Richard Best, who is also chairman of the Property Ombudsman scheme (formerly the Ombudsman for Estate Agents), various industry leaders were invited to take part.

Views from the forum will be presented to the Government, which is currently consulting on its proposals for mandatory licensing by an independent body of all letting and managing agents.
 
Caroline Pickering, chair of NALS, said: “There can be no doubt that mandatory regulation of lettings agents will propel the sector forward in achieving best practice and increased provision and security for tenants and landlords.”

She added:  “NALS is the clear choice to carry out independent agent regulation.” 

NALS was set up as a Government-funded initiative to provide minimum standards for letting agents to adhere to. Effectively an alternative to ARLA, it has recently been caught up in the problems experienced by the lettings chain Martin & Co, which has had to strip three franchisees of their licences.

Chaired by Pickering, who comes from a social housing background, NALS members include representatives of CLG, the British Property Federation, National Landlords Association and National Union of Students. Shelter, NFoPP and RICS attend meetings, but only as observers.