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XPress release
The National Landlords Association (NLA)
and the National Federation of Residential Landlords (NFRL),
who together represent nearly 20,000 landlords, have announced
they are to merge creating the largest representative body
for landlords in the United Kingdom. 9th
July 2008
Research
among the membership of both organisations has indicated the
need for a national unified voice for private-residential
landlords. Following several months of negotiations between
the governing bodies of the NFRL and NLA, this merger rightly
reflects landlords' desires that their views are represented
with one voice to policy-makers.
The
larger NLA, combining the strengths of both organisations,
will better represent the needs of all landlords at a time
when the private-rented sector faces major challenges. The
merger will mean a wider range of products and services being
made available to members as well as a significant development
of local landlord networks.
David
Salusbury, Chairman, NLA, in welcoming the merger, said"The
aims and objectives of the NFRL and NLA are very similar.
It is these synergies which make the merger an obvious next
step for both organisations."
"The
newly enlarged NLA, with almost 20,000 paid-up landlord members,
is now the pre-eminent voice for the private-rented sector
and this will mean increased commercial benefits to our members
but also a greater ability to influence policy at all levels.
At a time of doom-mongering headlines about the housing market,
this merger is good news for the entire private-rented sector."
Barry
Markham, Chairman, NFRL, commenting on the newly enlarged
NLA, said: "All landlords deserve to have their opinions and
views represented clearly. Although the current economic climate
provides commercial opportunities for the professional landlord,
it remains critical that the NLA continues to lobby Government
and highlight the important role that landlords play in providing
decent and affordable rental accommodation.
"The
NFRL has worked tirelessly to develop an extensive branch
network covering the whole country. This enables landlords
to feel part of something useful at a local and applied level.
With both organisations coming together under the NLA banner,
landlords have a representative body that listens and responds
and will strive to safeguard their legitimate business interests."
Current
members of the NFRL will automatically become members of the
NLA. The five existing directors at the NLA will remain in
place but will be augmented by two former NFRL directors.
One of the new NLA directors, Barry Markham (former NFRL Chairman),
will become a Vice Chairman of the NLA.
XPress release
NLA claims a victory for landlords on
unfair renewal fees by letting agents 26
February 2008
The
National Landlords Association (NLA), which represents almost
14,000 landlords, has welcomed the decision by the Office
of Fair Trading to issue High Court proceedings against a
major High Street letting agent
The
NLA has received vast amounts of correspondence supporting
its recent campaign against these extortionate renewal fees,
including from landlords who are being sued by letting agents
for refusing to pay-up.
Currently,
many landlords in London and the South East who have been
managing a property on their own and who simply want to renew
the tenancy agreement for a further 12 months, can expect
to pay 10% or 11% of the annual rent as a renewal commission
to the letting agent. For many properties in the region, this
could be a figure running into thousands.
John
Socha, Vice Chairman, NLA, in welcoming this announcement
said: "The NLA has been pivotal at encouraging landlords to
come forward and complain about these ‘money for nothing’
fees which seem to have become the norm in London and the
surrounding region.
"We
very much welcome the OFT’s decision to seek an injunction
in this case and hope this sends out a signal that this fee,
where the agent has done nothing to earn it, is unwarranted
and unfair and should be abolished as soon as possible."
Most
letting agents in other parts of the UK charge a small administration
fee for a ‘let only’ renewal. This covers contacting the tenant,
negotiating the length and level of the tenancy along with
signing the renewal and returning completed paperwork. This
often costs less than £95 plus VAT.
Notes:
The
National Landlords Association (NLA) exists to protect and
promote the interests of private residential landlords. With
almost 14,000 individual landlords from around the United
Kingdom and over 80 local authority associates, it provides
a comprehensive range of benefits and services to its members
and strives to raise standards in rented accommodation. The
NLA seeks to safeguard landlords’ legitimate interests by
making their collective voice heard by local and central government
and the media. The NLA seeks a fair legislative and regulatory
environment for the private-rented sector while aiming to
ensure that landlords are aware of their statutory rights
and responsibilities.
 Press
releases 2008
OFT
seeks court order against letting agent Foxtons
28/08
25 February 2008
The
OFT has issued High Court proceedings against Foxtons Limited
seeking a declaration on the application of the Unfair Terms
in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999 (UTCCRs) to certain
terms in Foxtons' lettings agreements with landlords. The
OFT is also seeking an injunction against Foxtons preventing
it from using the terms.
The
action taken by the OFT is in response to consumer complaints.
If successful in this case the OFT intends to enforce compliance
with the law, as declared by the Court, throughout the letting
industry wherever similar terms are being used.
The
terms to which the OFT objects in Foxtons' letting agreements
can potentially require landlords to pay Foxtons substantial
sums in commission, where a tenant continues to occupy the
landlord's property after the initial fixed period of the
tenancy has expired - even if Foxtons plays no part in persuading
the tenant to stay, and no longer collects the rent or manages
the property. Foxtons' terms can also require the landlord
to pay these sums after the landlord has sold the property.
The terms also demand commission where the landlord sells
the property to the tenant, even where Foxtons has played
no part in negotiating that sale.
Foxtons
contends that its agreements with landlords are not unfair
and continues to use these terms, and accordingly, the OFT
has issued proceedings so the courts can decide the matter.
NOTES
1.
The OFT is seeking an enforcement order against Foxtons Limited
under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999
(UTCCRs).
2.
The UTCCRs apply to standard contract terms with consumers.
The UTCCRs protect consumers against unfair standard terms
in contracts they make with traders. The OFT, and certain
other qualifying bodies (such as local authority trading standards,
national regulatory bodies, and Which?) can take legal action
to prevent the use of potentially unfair terms. A term is
likely to be considered unfair if, contrary to the requirement
of good faith, it causes a significant imbalance in the parties'
rights and obligations under the contract, to the detriment
of consumers. The regulations say that a consumer is not bound
by a standard term in a contract with a trader if that term
is unfair. Ultimately, only a court can decide whether a term
is unfair.
3.
It is estimated in the lettings industry that there are at
least 15,000 letting agency businesses in the UK, including
a number of national and multi-national companies in addition
to many smaller businesses.
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