Government approved Redress Scheme Amrit Virdee Planning Enforcement
Government approved Redress Scheme New legislation has been introduced which means that from 1 October 2014 it is a legal requirement for all lettings agents and property managers in England to join one of three Government approved redress schemes. This requirement will mean that tenants and landlords with agents in the private sector will be able to complain to an independent person about the service they have received.
Government approved Redress Scheme Alongside other local authorities Barking and Dagenham will enforce this requirement. Fines of up to £5000 can be imposed where an agent or property manager who should have joined a scheme has not done so. Ultimately the requirement to belong to a scheme will help weed out bad agents and property managers and drive up standards.
Government approved Redress Scheme The three schemes are: • Ombudsman Services Property • Property Redress Scheme • The property Ombudsman Each scheme will publish a list of members on their respective websites so it will be possible to check whether a letting agent or property manager has joined one of the schemes.
Who the redress scheme applies to The requirement to belong to a redress scheme only applies to agents carrying out lettings or property management work ‘ in the course of business’. The requirement will therefore not apply to ‘informal’ arrangements where a person is helping out rather than being paid. Some examples: Someone looking after the letting of a property rented on behalf of a family or friend and does not get paid. A friend who helps a landlord with maintenance or decoration of their rented property on an ad hoc basis A landlord who looks after another landlords property whilst they are away and does not get paid for it.
Next steps…. Landlords are not explicitly excluded from the requirement but are not captured by the legislation if they are not acting on instructions from another party To date I have contacted all the letting agents and property managers in the borough who have not yet joined one of the three schemes. During this time we have had many join a scheme. Those that do not will be followed up with a notification of a penalty .
Government approved Redress Scheme More information about the Government Redress Scheme can be found by searching for : Government redress scheme pdf This document is published by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Government approved Redress Scheme Any Questions?.......
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