National Landlords Association (NLA): UK trade association for private residential landlords

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News release

'Money for nothing' renewal fees should be scrapped

23 February 2010

Unfair letting agent renewal fees should be scrapped, according to the National Landlords Association (NLA) as it welcomed a court order secured by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) against a High Street letting agent.

Following a landmark judgment last summer when the High Court ruled that the agent’s commission charges were “severely camouflaged” and represented “a ‘trap’ or ‘timebomb’ for consumers,” the OFT has been pursuing a court order to protect landlords using the services of an agent.

The OFT has made it clear that landlords “should not be presented with a surprise bill for services they have not consciously agreed to.”

David Salusbury, Chairman, NLA, said:

“Although this is clearly good news for landlords, the NLA is still calling for these unfair renewal fees to be scrapped. Where the letting agent performs no service to the landlord throughout a tenancy, why should they still be able to charge the landlord of their tenant chooses to renew the tenancy?

“The message to all letting agents is now clear: do not try and mislead your clients. Our advice to landlords remains the same. Always check the small print before signing on the dotted line.”

-ENDS-

All media enquiries to:
Steven Hilton
Media Relations Manager, NLA
Email:
Tel: 020 7840 8906
Mob: 07508 031 084

Notes to Editors:
Representing landlords from all over the UK, the National Landlords Association (NLA) is the leading organisation for private-residential landlords. It campaigns for the legitimate interests of landlords by seeking to influence decision-makers at all levels of government and by making landlords’ collective voice heard in the media. The NLA helps landlords make a success of their lettings business by providing a wide range of information, advice and services. It seeks to raise standards in the private-rented sector while aiming to ensure that landlords are aware of their statutory rights and responsibilities.