Useful Links
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Tenancy Issues
Advice Now
A government website which talks you through both a tenant's and landlord's rights in relation to tenancy agreements, even if there isn't a written one in place.
Association of Independent Inventory Clerks
The Association of Independent Inventory Clerks is committed to excellence and professionalism in the property inventory process and work hard to ensure that all landlords, tenants and letting agents understand the importance and benefits of professionally completed property inventories.
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Property Standards
Housing Health and Safety Rating System
Worked examples of typical problems in rented accommodation under the Housing Act 2004.
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Houses in Multiple Occupation Licensing
Communities and Local Government Website
Government Website explaining English legislation. Virtually the same information applies in Wales (definition, etc the same). See also Council Websites for specific local information.
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Energy Performance Certificates
Accredited EPC Assessors
Where to find an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor.
Energy Saving Trust
Free impartial advice relating to energy saving. Site includes a download which contains information on Energy Performance Certificates.
Communities and Local Government
Information on Energy Performance Certificates for Landlords.
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Energy Efficiency
Energy Saving Trust General
Landlord Specific Pages
Free impartial advice relating to energy saving. The landlord pages include a series of downloads.
NEST - Making Wales Cosy
Welsh Assembly Government funded initiative - aiming to help reduce the number of households in fuel poverty and make Welsh homes warmer and more fuel-efficient places to live.
Creative Environmental Networks
Helping landlords improve the rental potential of properties
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Tenant Deposit Schemes
Tenancy Deposit: Directgov
A government overview of tenancy deposit schemes, from both the landlord and tenant prospective.
The Deposit Protection Service
The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) is a fast, free and secure service which is open to all landlords and letting agents. It is the only custodial deposit protection scheme.
The Tenancy Deposit Scheme
An insurance based protection scheme open to all landlords and agents concerned with the letting of a residential property, run by the Dispute Service.
My Deposits
My Deposits is an insurance-based tenancy deposit protection scheme, run in partnership between the National Landlords Association and Hamilton Fraser Insurance.
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Associations
The Guild of Residential Landlords
The Guild of Residential Landlords is a national organisation providing help and advice for private residential landlords and letting agents in exchange for an annual membership fee. They are similar to a landlords association.
The National Landlords Association (NLA)
The National Landlords Association (NLA) is an independent national organisation for private residential landlords.
The Residential Landlords Association (RLA)
The RLA is a national organization providing advice and information for landlords, letting agents and government authorities.
The National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS)
The National Approved Letting Scheme is an accreditation scheme for lettings and management agents.
The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA)
ARLA is the only professional self-regulating body to be solely concerned with lettings.
The Association of Letting & Management Agents (ALMA)
The Association of Letting & Management Agents (ALMA) is a self-regulating organisation, which encourages the growth of best practice in the lettings’ industry throughout South Wales.
The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA)
The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) is the UK's leading professional body for estate agency.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
With its members operating out of 146 countries, RICS is the leading organisation of its kind in the world for professionals in property, construction, land and related environmental issues.
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Tenant Specific
Wales Housing
Links to dedicated housing advice websites created as part of a Welsh Assembly funded project - most sites include a private rented accommodation search facility. Especially useful for tenants on benefits who are unsure of their Housing Options.
Cardiff Digs
Packed full of useful information provided by the Universities and the Council for student tenants living in Cardiff.
Shelter Cymru
Shelter Cymru is the leading housing and homelessness charity in Wales. They provide long term housing solutions and independent housing advise.
Cardiff Housing
This website run by Cardiff Council, offers information about rented and affordable accommodation in Cardiff and aims to help those looking for a home to make choices about the most suitable option for them.
Unipol Leeds
A website for students to find and live securely in private rented sector accommodation (mostly in the North East of England), but site has some useful help and advice.
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Landlord/Agent Specific
NICEIC
Approved contractors are members of the NICEIC, who is the electrical contracting industry’s independent voluntary body for electrical installation matters throughout the UK.
Electrical Contractors Association
Approved contractors are members of the ECA, who provide members with assistance and advice from specialist departments and sector experts.
The National HMO Network
The National HMO Network aims to promote a wider understanding of all aspects of Houses in Multiple Occupation – HMOs.
Welsh Housing Notice Board
The Welsh Housing Notice board is just what the name suggests: a central place for all things about housing in Wales.
Landlord Zone: Rental Property Knowledge
A free access web portal for landlords, agents & tenants - a knowledge base for practitioners and a marketplace for buyers & suppliers.
HM Revenue and Customs
Find information about tax, and in particular disadvantaged areas in relation to stamp duty, landlord energy saving allowance, VAT, etc.
Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) website contains information on the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988
Health and Safety Executive
This page provides links to the home pages for both domestic gas and gas supply health and safety information.
Gas Safe Register
The gas safe register will be the official stamp of gas saftey replacing CORGI after the 1st April 2009. From this time you will be able to check if your gas engineer is correctly registered by calling 0800 408 5500 or by checking on the Gas Safe Register website.
Trustmark
TrustMark helps people find reliable, trustworthy trades people to make improvements and repairs inside and outside properties. TrustMark is a not for profit organisation supported by Government, the building industry, retailers and consumer protection groups.
Electrical Safety Council
An independent charity committed to reducing deaths and injuries through electrical accidents at home and at work. They are supported by all sectors of the electrical industry as well as local and central government and work to promote safety and good practice.
National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers (NAPIT)
NAPIT is an organisation committed to consumer safety in the Domestic, Commercial and Industrial sectors. They provide a simple, fast search service so that you can find a tradesperson in your area and can also use their Jargon Buster to make sure that you understand the terminology trades people use.
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Government Departments and Agencies
Welsh Government
The Welsh Government produces legislation which governs the private rented sector, such as the Housing Act 2004.
Communities and Local Government
The English governmental agency that set policy and strive to improve the quality of housing. Some work they undertake is also applicable in Wales. The site contains publications about housing standards and legislation.
The Residential Property Tribunal Service
The Residential Property Tribunal Service is the public body that can decide many Rent and Leasehold disputes. They provide a fair, unbiased service used by thousands of Landlords, Tenants and Leaseholders every year.
Tribunal Service
The Tribunals Service was created in April 2006, as an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice. Their goal is to ensure that the public at large have the opportunity to exercise their rights and to seek effective redress against Government decisions, and to help settle disputes between employers and employees.
The Social Security and Child Support Tribunal make decisions on appeals in relation to housing benefit.
Rent Officers Wales
Part of the Housing Division of the Welsh Assembly Government, they value residential accommodation in the Private Rented Sector in Wales and provide an independent and impartial valuation service of residential properties. They also collect rental information and analyse local rental markets to provide Local Authorities with Local Housing Allowance figures.
Her Majesty’s Courts Service
Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). Their remit is to deliver justice effectively and efficiently to the public.
The Leasehold Advisory Service
The Leasehold Advisory Service is an Executive Non Departmental Public Body (ENDPB) funded by Government to provide free legal advice to leaseholders, landlords, professional advisers, managers and others on the law affecting residential leasehold and common hold.
Business Link
Business Link is a free business advice and support service, available online and through local advisors.
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Legislation
Legislation.gov.uk
Legislation.gov.uk brings together the legislative content currently held on the OPSI website and revised legislation from the Statute Law Database to provide a single legislation service that replaces the current services. The OPSI and SLD websites are in the process of being decommissioned with users re-directed to this new service.
The UK Statute Law Database
The UK Statute Law Database (SLD) is the official revised edition of the primary legislation of the United Kingdom made available online. You can search and read the Housing Act 2004, and other relevant regulations and statutory instruments.
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Miscellaneous
Accreditation Network UK (ANUK)
ANUK is a network of professionals and organisations that promotes accreditation in private rented residential accomodation.
London Landlord Accreditation Scheme (LLAS)
Website of affiliated scheme to LAW which provides landlords across London with information and professional development opportunities to allow them to operate a successful business and provide their tenants with safe and high quality accommodation.
East Midlands Landlord Accreditation Scheme (EMLAS)
The East Midlands Landlord Accreditation Scheme (EMLAS) is the first regional accreditation scheme, outside of London, to recognise the abilities of the landlord and not just the property standards.
Decent and Safe Homes (DASH)
DASH is a project funded by the Government Office for the East Midlands and was created as a regional facility to support the implementation of the Housing Act 2004. The website contains useful information for landlords and tenants in relation to renting.
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