Agents, tenants, landlords can 'rate' each other

Around 30 lettings agencies have started using a scheme which allows individuals to earn' positive online reviews that demonstrate they would be responsible and low-risk landlords and tenants.

Consider-Rate.co.uk started life in Yorkshire, as part of an initiative by the Leeds Landlord Accreditation Scheme to build a database which would allow the performance and reputation of landlords, agents and tenants to be seen by the general public.

Consider-Rate director Tim Gorton says the idea has developed because at different times agents, landlords and tenants have all been stung by rogue activities within the rental sector - bad landlords, untrustworthy agents or non-paying tenants, for example.

Consider-Rate allows individuals in all three groups to rate each other in order to provide a rental CV'.

The scheme has been backed by the Residential Landlords' Association which sees it as potentially being part of its own accreditation scheme for landlords, and an alternative to selective landlord licensing regimes being introduced by large numbers of local authorities.

A two-way rating system such as this provides transparency for all parties to make more informed decisions about who they want to do business with. Consider-Rate provides .... the information that will enable the accreditation scheme to understand the quality of property and service provided in the region and where to direct future effort: says Andrew Goodacre, the RLA chief executive.

Most of the agents using the scheme so far are in Yorkshire but others include those in Lancashire, the east Midlands and one online agency.