24th June 2009

Landlord Accreditation Wales, the principality’s private rental sector association, has announced that the Cardiff branch of the Northwood lettings group is the first National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) member to join its organisation.

Membership of Landlord Accreditation Wales provides local lettings agents, landlords and tenants with a best practice guarantee. However, in order to qualify for accreditation, agents must already be a member of a recognised professional body. As Northwood Cardiff is NALS-accredited, the firm already complies with a clearly defined code of Government-endorsed standards.

Cllr Judith Woodman, Executive Member for Communities, Housing and Social Justice at Cardiff Council, said:

”I am delighted that Northwood Cardiff has joined the Landlord Accreditation Wales Scheme. The company’s participation in the scheme clearly demonstrates its dedication to continually raising standards in the Welsh lettings sector. The scheme is a great way of safeguarding all those involved in the letting process and with the additional credibility of the NALS kitemark, there’s no doubt that Northwood Cardiff will continue to inspire customer confidence.”

NALS Independent Chair, Caroline Pickering comments:

“By adopting the lettings framework established by both NALS and the Landlord Accreditation Wales Scheme, Northwood is clearly demonstrating its commitment to delivering well-defined standards of customer service across the private rentals sector, enabling tenants to make a more informed decision about who they rent from. The Cardiff office has certainly set a precedent for other agencies – one which is highly commendable.”

Although both NALS and Landlord Accreditation Wales are committed to raising professionalism within the lettings sector, Northwood has a long-standing history of best practice, pioneering the ‘Platinum’ guaranteed rental income scheme for landlords 10 years ago. This scheme continues to offer sole or multiple landlords guaranteed rental income whether or not the property is occupied – even if a tenant defaults on rent payments. The Northwood Cardiff team has now successfully completed the development training course provided by Cardiff Council, and is poised for continued success.

The Landlord Accreditation Wales Scheme has been developed by the 22 Councils in Wales, and is supported by the Welsh Assembly Government. Cardiff Council administers and leads on the scheme on behalf of the scheme’s partners.

Notes to editors

The Landlord Accreditation Wales is a Council run, national scheme. It recognises good landlords and agents throughout the country and is open to individual landlords, agents and companies, and certifies them as being informed and professional in their approach to managing private rented accommodation.

The scheme aims to recognise professional landlords who take a proactive approach to their business responsibilities. It is a skills based scheme, where individuals attend a one day course designed to give them an overview of their rights and responsibilities when renting out accommodation privately. Landlords previously convicted of housing related issues or more serious offences are not ‘fit and proper’ so are not eligible to join. The scheme is suitable for people who are just looking into becoming a landlord, or one’s who have large portfolios as well as one’s with just one property, who might not class themselves as landlords.

To find out more information about the scheme log onto the Landlord Accreditation Wales website: www.welshlandlords.org.uk The website also has a news and events page, downloads, useful links and an accredited landlord search function.