O'Neil Posted June 16, 2006 Report Share Posted June 16, 2006 Hi. I work for a Local Authority helping/supporting young people find and maintain rented accommodation. Most of our young people are on benefits and therefore it is often hard to find agents with many landlords prepared to let to with them. I recently found a letting agents with several properties I am interested in but he is not ARLA registered - are there any other checks I can do to ensure the agent is safe to use and will not disappear with our depostis/rent etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted June 16, 2006 Report Share Posted June 16, 2006 Shame isn't it. The most needy looking for accomodation have the most difficulty. Is it because Crusty Old Landlords like myself have a deep suspicion of Tenants on benefits? Shouldn't be that way should it really? There ought to be a cast iron guarantee from Local Authorities that they will underwrite the Tenant by way of Rent payable to the Landlord should they default but many of them don't and many Landlords lose out when a problem arises. To answer your question it would be better if your Agent belonged to the ARLA why isn't He/She? It would be in their own interest to be registered to at least look professional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenners Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 I think many letting agents would like to join ARLA - but are not able to because ARLA insist that the letting agent has a) business premises and pays business rates. These ARLA joining restrictions do not reflect business or, indeed, the letting industry in 2006. There are many letting professionals, including myself, running very respectable Internet based letting businesses from HOME. No matter what we do - ARLA will not let us join because we don't have a shop. PATHETIC. So - all we can do is join the UK Association of Letting Agents ( UK ALA). The important things when choosing a letting agent are integrity, trust and customer service. You should also check that the letting has a separate client account so that even if the letting business "goes bust" you money will be safe (because it is held in the separate client account). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleming Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 There are good and bad agents whether or not they are members of ARLA and whether or not someone recommends them. I agree with all the advice above. I do feel sorry for honest law-abiding DSS people but I for one will not touch DSS with a barge pole. I am still trying to get housing benefit due to me as a landlord from April. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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