The UK Association for Letting Agents, UKALA, has relaunched in a bid to reverse a fall in membership and to become a major and serious player in the sector.
A new full-time executive, former Cluttons partner Caroline Kenny, an ARLA fellow, has been appointed, and a new membership offering launched. The association currently has 354 members but two years ago, when the National Landlords Association took over its administration, was said to have over 500.
New member benefits include access to a telephone advice line, Client Money Protection, and access to landlords through regional meetings reflecting UKALA’s relationship with the National Landlords Association.
Kenny said: “We’re confident that our new offer, based on improving communication, education, transparency and fairness, will help establish a better and more beneficial relationship between landlords, letting agents and tenants.
“A recent survey has shown that 23% of respondents – equivalent to 11 million people – believe they have been charged unfair fees when renting their home through a letting agent in England.
“As a result, we have strengthened our Code of Practice to ensure that prior to an applicant’s offer being formally accepted, UKALA lettings agents will have to set out in writing any significant tenancy pre-conditions and terms for the letting, such as their potential liability for fees and charges.
“Failure to do so will mean that tenants will not be liable for fees or charges that are not clearly set out prior to the formal acceptance.
“Our new membership criteria also require all applicants to be vetted against UKALA safeguards, and only if these requirements are met can lettings agencies become members and be covered by UKALA’s Client Money Protection insurance.
“UKALA membership provides all the tools letting agents need to be aware of their obligations, as well as additional consumer safeguards”.
The National Landlords Association, which launched the Mydeposits scheme, signed a ‘service agreement’ in 2010 with UKALA.
But Kenny stressed that UKALA’s funding, lobbying and education efforts will remain separate.
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Comments
has not, plus all the rest sorry, in a rush and irritated by this story
Nice to see that Caroline is using the stnadard NFOPP defence. When one buggers it up say nothing and like every black cloud it is bound to pass.
Don't pretend that no-one from UKALA or NLA has seen the comments on here, it is a standard ego thing to have a look at the cooments one's press release receives.
How about someone engages with the prospective customer base and answers some of the points raised. To do so would instantly give one more credibility than Captain Mainwarring-King
Used to be a member 10 years ago when the were a little bedsit/office outfit in Essex, whe did a google on the address and turned out to be a terraced house, and someone only answered the phone in the morning, just checked my receipts and my membership dues in 2007 was £135 + VAT + £45 "processing" fee for a sticker and a certificate , then the bedsit tried to become bigger with offices in London and asked 200 questions to be a member ( in rebranded folders/paperwork) and doubled and now tripled the membership fee...so goodbye...just another sticker in the window to confuse people even more.
354 members - how can that be critical mass enough to run a national(?) organisation?
Cmp not recognised by other bodies mean it is just not good enough.
Up until the merger I was a member of UKALA and NLA since I am a landlord and a letting agent. The merger stated that previous UKALA benefits would cease but I would still have to pay two fees for the two organisations. So extra money and fewer benefits. I declined and having read Ms Kenny's statements I am not likely to change my mind any time soon.
What a stupid idea saying that UKALA agents cannot make any charges unless the tenant has been advised first? What is to stop the tenant claiming that they were not told and asking UKALA to get them a refund?
I can see membership reducing even further given Roach's comments regarding CMP. Surely if an agent provides evidence that they have CMP then their membership fees cold be reduced by the appropriatae amount. After all do not most insurance companies have clauses that insuring the same thing twice invalidates the policy?
This might not be a very good morning for UKALA.
Its a shame that such organisations as UKALA dont think things through properly before setting their fees. I recently was asked to renew our membership with UKALA, last year the fee was approx £250, this year they want £485. The reason is that it includes Cient Money Protection insurance....but I already have to have that with ARLA and NAEA, so I dont want to pay for it again!
I asked could they renew our membership without the CMP insurance, "No" was the reply, but the problem is that ARLA and NAEA dont regognize UKALA's CMP insurance. Net result = dont renew with UKALA - another member lost - now they only have 353 members!
That someone in a position of authority would have the wit to check the Shelter stats before spewing them out in a press release designed to give them some credibility!
The You Gov survey being quoted managed to extrapolate the number of respondents across the entire population, including children to come up with 11 million people.
Given that there are only 3.62 million tenancies how on earth does Caroline Kenny think that 11 million people can have been ripped off?
Given that 66% of the population do not rent either privately or socially and never have done how does Caroline Kenny think that quoting garbage is going to support her position?
As for being taken seriously in the sector? there will be a lot of people shaking their heads in pure disbelief. Caroline Kenny you have had your Ratner moment!