A comprehensive customer service audit conducted by the National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) in association with Nottingham Trent University has returned reassuringly high levels of landlord and tenant satisfaction with the standards of service from NALS accredited firms, with more than 90% (landlords) and 85% (tenants) being satisfied with performance across a number of stringent performance parameters.

The research, which solicited more than six hundred responses from within the sector, is thought to be the most comprehensive of its kind in recent times and revealed that those areas in which NALS accredited firms performed particularly highly include advice to landlords on acceptable levels of rent (97.6%), transfer of utility services (94.8%) and checks on tenants (96%). Tenants found agents to be generally responsive to answering their questions (91.5%) and providing reasonable notice of intention to visit the property (89.6%).

In addition to the above, the importance of agents being accredited by NALS was also questioned, with 81.3% of landlords and 69.2% of tenants stating that in the future, they would be more likely to choose a NALS agent.

Isobel Thomson, NALS Operations Director, commented:
“The huge increase in popularity of buy-to-let property investment that we have seen in recent times has brought record numbers of first time landlords and tenants into contact with agents, and it is pleasing that the levels of satisfaction reported and therefore confidence in the sector has been so positive. In particular, the outward expression of confidence in NALS accreditation as a benchmark underlines the value that the scheme provides and sends a clear message to agents that it is good for business to be accredited by the scheme.”

The reports joint authors John Mansfield and Dr Rachel Mansfield at the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, Nottingham Trent University comment:

“It is pleasing that in the vast majority of cases, letting agents are providing a satisfactory service and that complaints from landlords and tenants are rare. Agents associated with NALS, according to their own consumers have a high degree of integrity and provide a good service.“

NALS is backed by the Government and leading professional bodies and is the most reliable benchmark for landlords and tenants to compare the standards of service they receive from residential lettings agents. All of the scheme’s accredited firms offer client money protection, maintain professional indemnity insurance and operate customer complaints procedures. For more information visit www.nalscheme.co.uk

Notes to Editor

The survey questioned 613 landlords and tenants, using three questionnaires, devised to assess perceptions of agent service and the effectiveness of the National Approved Letting Scheme.

For further press information please contact: Isobel Thomson, Operations Director, NALS, on 01242 581712 or John Gisborne at Splash Communications T: 01225 348008 E: jgisborne@splashcommunications.com

.