15th September 2009

National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) has today announced that with immediate effect its 1,400 firms are licensed to operate within the NALS scheme.

NALS Chair, Caroline Pickering explains the move and what this means for agents and consumers alike:

“All letting agents bearing the NALS kitemark are now fully licensed operators under the NALS scheme.This is a compelling proposition for agents, landlord and tenants given the consumer directly engages with the term “licensed” and instantly connects this with protection, demonstrable quality and a benchmark of acceptable standards.”

“To help drive this powerful message a new logo/kitemark will clearly evidence and differentiate those agents which are NALS licensed. Ensuring all consumers are able to engage quickly and easily with it, immediately recognising the agent as a NALS licensed firm, and knowing this is synonymous with high standards”

“Informal agent feedback to-date has exceeded even our expectations. We all know and relate to the term “licensing” from our day to day lives for instance a “driving license”. It’s about making it easy for the consumer (whether that’s a tenant or landlord) to understand what a NALS licensed firm means – and essentially that’s protection. We believe it is important we ensure the consumer is absolutely and resolutely clear which agents will deliver clearly defined standards of service and this is one of the measures we are putting in place to guarantee this. NALS, through its Licensing Consultative Forums - attended by industry and consumer groups - has developed a framework for statutory regulation through letting and management agents and this has been presented to the Housing Minister and Communities and Local Government. This will further support the move to a more regulated industry – the purpose of which will be to provide increased protection for landlords and tenants.”