How a New ARLA Initiative Could Help Weed Out Rogue Landlords

A new initiative aims to cut down on the number of rogue landlords currently operating in the UK. The proposed initiative involves creating a register of genuine landlords that conform to a specific set of standards; if it is then discovered that a landlord fails to maintain said standards they would be removed from the register. The proposal would provide a clear benefit to prospective tenants who would be able to consult the registers when looking for accommodation.



As the economic crisis continues to impact on the housing market in the United Kingdom there has been a rise in both the numbers of tenants and landlords. More people are looking to rent rather than buy property as banks have tightened the criteria for mortgage lending and house prices continually prove unstable. On the other side of the coin the number of Landlords is also increasing. The reasons listed above for the rise in tenants are also causing the dramatic drops in house sales. This coupled with homeowners reluctant to sell with house prices at such a low has seen a large number of homeowners looking to begin renting out their properties.



The new initiative proposes that landlords pay £50 in order to register with the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA). An independent body would then be used to mediate in any disputes between the tenant and landlord and if the landlord then fails to provide the basic accommodation standards they will be removed from the register.



There have been both positive and negative reactions to the initiative, although presently the positive definitely seem to be outweighing the negative. Some landlords are understandably irritated a the prospect of having yet another tax levied on them, however the majority of legitimate landlords are also aware that being listed as reputable and drawing a clear line between them and rogue landlords could prove beneficial.



It has also been suggested that rogue landlords will simply refrain from registering in the first place. Tenants will typically view this as a sign of guilt however and would be far happier to rent of a landlord that was confident enough in the standard of property they were renting to register themselves.



I was recently looking for houses to rent in Liverpool and property to rent in Glasgow and know that every bit of help is welcome.



Ultimately trying to find a property to rent can be a minefield and any step that can be taken to make it less painful should be welcomed. Being able to check which landlords are legitimate online would certainly make the search less stressful.