National Approved Lettings Scheme

[richard0810]

My lettings agent put his company into liquidation last year taking nearly £4,000 of my rental money with it, which it had withheld from paying over to me, and also my tenant's deposit which it had not put into a deposit scheme as it should have done.

Fortunately, the rental money was protected under the NALS (National Approved Letting Scheme) insurance for landlords, which was a scheme I has ensured my lettings agent was a member of before I instructed him originally.

Eventually, I got paid out after 15 months for the withheld rent, but only after constantly having to chase NALS and being fobbed off each time, there being little interest shown, and my calls, messages and letters being ignored over the bulk of that period. During this time, I had severe difficulties in finding an alternative source of money to pay my Buy to Let mortgage, but that was of no interest to staff at NALS.

Now, with no tenant's deposit repaid, nor any acknowledgement of it, I am trying to find out about whether that is covered under the scheme. In the absence of any reponse to NALS, I have sent complaint e-mails and letters to Caroline Pickering, the Chair of NALS, but these have gone unacknowledged.

As the NALS website states that it is supported by the Department for Communites and Local Government, I then wrote to the minister Grant Schapps MP outlining my concerns, who was very nice but said that as NALS is an independent organisation, he could not comment on my case, but suggested that I write again to Caroline Pickering at the NALS office in Cheltenham. Which I did, but again with no reply nor any acknowledgement.

So, I am getting nowhere with any of this. My experience of NALS is that it treats landlords with a genuine claim as a nuisance, and shows begrudging interest in dealing with their concerns, so be warned should you be unfortunate to have a need to deal with this organisation in future.

Meanwhile, who is this Caroline Pickering who feels that dealing with us 'nuisance' landlords is unbecoming to her 'Chair' status and beneath her station?

[Melboy]

My lettings agent put his company into liquidation last year taking nearly £4,000 of my rental money with it, which it had withheld from paying over to me, and also my tenant's deposit which it had not put into a deposit scheme as it should have done.

Fortunately, the rental money was protected under the NALS (National Approved Letting Scheme) insurance for landlords, which was a scheme I has ensured my lettings agent was a member of before I instructed him originally.

Eventually, I got paid out after 15 months for the withheld rent, but only after constantly having to chase NALS and being fobbed off each time, there being little interest shown, and my calls, messages and letters being ignored over the bulk of that period. During this time, I had severe difficulties in finding an alternative source of money to pay my Buy to Let mortgage, but that was of no interest to staff at NALS.

Now, with no tenant's deposit repaid, nor any acknowledgement of it, I am trying to find out about whether that is covered under the scheme. In the absence of any reponse to NALS, I have sent complaint e-mails and letters to Caroline Pickering, the Chair of NALS, but these have gone unacknowledged.

As the NALS website states that it is supported by the Department for Communites and Local Government, I then wrote to the minister Grant Schapps MP outlining my concerns, who was very nice but said that as NALS is an independent organisation, he could not comment on my case, but suggested that I write again to Caroline Pickering at the NALS office in Cheltenham. Which I did, but again with no reply nor any acknowledgement.

So, I am getting nowhere with any of this. My experience of NALS is that it treats landlords with a genuine claim as a nuisance, and shows begrudging interest in dealing with their concerns, so be warned should you be unfortunate to have a need to deal with this organisation in future.

Meanwhile, who is this Caroline Pickering who feels that dealing with us 'nuisance' landlords is unbecoming to her 'Chair' status and beneath her station?

I must say I am not surprised by the way you have been treated as anyone who has had to make a legitimate claim on their insurance knows.

Disgraceful really isn't it? I think your right these top people just think that they can draw a fat salary and ignore anything below them. Grrrrr!

Mel.

[SPEEDTWIN]

It is just the same with any organisation/insurance that to can claim on. You never know how good they are untill you have to claim.

[recyclotron]

My experience is identical. Apartments of Manchester went into liquidation in the summer owing me £1200. I have sent multiple emails and letters and called NALS in the region of 20 times. I managed to speak to Isobel Thompson their Ops director once who promised to get back to me by the end of the week (that was six weeks ago). I wrote to my MP who passed my complaint about NALS onto Grant Shapps, the housing minister, who recommend I get a solicitor. The most successful option seems to be to call them and not accept their promises that they wil call back (they never do), just hang on the line. I am trying to interest the media in a story about them. If anyone has an email address for Caroline Pickering, their chairperson can they let me know at bernie.doeser@hotmail.com Also please contact me if you want to form a group to compain against NALS more publicly.

[richard0810]

I have replied to you regarding forming a complaint group. This situation is now becoming a trend, rather than a one-off.

In reply to the previous posting from Speedtwin, it is true that many insurers try to reduce your claim, as it is a well known fact that many claimants attempt to overclaim. Most insurers, however, do not ignore your phone calls/e-mails though, and treat callers as a nuisance to be avoided at any cost. They have a hard won reputation to guard, and don't wish to receive negative publicity which can harm their public perception.

Where however, an organisation, such as NALS, has an absolutely monopoly in their field, with no competiton and are government supported and funded, they can (and clearly do!) stick two fingers up at anyone they wish to, if they can't be bothered to engage with them.

In such situations, the senior staff need their arses kicked, and hard!

That's the next step!