The National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) has announced that ex Housing Corporation Director and industry stalwart, Caroline Pickering, has been appointed Chair of the Board, with effect from October, 2006.

Pickering has extensive experience of the social housing sector - she was appointed by Government to Chair the Stonebridge Housing Action Trust after having held a number of Interim CEO and Directorship roles with a range of top organisations, including the National Housing Federation, Peabody Housing Trust, Crisis and Horizon Housing Group, which was of particular interest to the NALS Board. She began her career with Circle 33 Housing Trust and moved to The Housing Corporation where she was first head of the London region before moving to head up the Corporation's UK wide regulation and supervision function.

Alongside Pickering, the NALS board will continue to include representation from the industry's professional bodies including ARLA, NAEA, RICS and the Department for Communities and Local Government*. The appointment comes at a time when NALS membership is at an all time high, with more than 1400 accredited offices – a factor which is testament to the perception of the value of the Scheme to its accredited firms.

At an industry wide level, the Scheme has also achieved a number of high profile ‘firsts' including making Client Money Protection (CMP) insurance available to firms not affiliated to the professional bodies. A new deal with specialist loss adjustment firm, Cunningham Lindsey UK, also puts NALS agents first in line for the business generated through the re-housing of families displaced through fire, flood or wider disaster. The Scheme continues to be supported by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Caroline Pickering said:

“NALS accreditation is vitally important to the many hundreds of firms who use the NALS kite mark to demonstrate to consumers that they meet an industry standard for customer service. The board will be promoting a strong and cohesive message to the industry about the future of NALS as the benchmark for the consumer to look for and which enhances so many people's rental experience.”

Gillian Charlesworth of RICS – Acting Chair prior to the appointment of Caroline Pickering comments:

“I am delighted that Caroline has taken on this role. Her breadth of experience in the industry makes her extremely well placed to take NALS forward, building on the important relationships that the Scheme enjoys with the private rented sector, the industry and Local Authorities. We are confident of the results that can be achieved under the strategic guidance of our new Chair.”

*The National Approved Letting Scheme board comprises:

Caroline Pickering (Chair), representatives from RICS, ARLA and NAEA who are Directors of the Scheme, alongside representatives from DCLG and the Housing Corporation.