Landlord Code of Practice
Landlord responsibilities
When a landlord engages an agent, the tasks and responsibilities of letting and managing property will be allocated between them. It is for the landlord and the agent to decide and to jointly understand who is responsible for each task and responsibility. Any such arrangement should be agreed, documented and signed by both parties. In most instances, the landlord will remain the overarching legally responsible party.
Irrespective of whether a landlord self-manages or employs an agent, it is important that the landlord is sufficiently knowledgeable to ensure the effective and legal management of their properties and tenants.
The ALL Wessex Landlords’ Code of Practice
To join a redress scheme for landlords as directed by the Housing Complaints Resolution Service (pending).
To comply with all laws relating to the letting and management of their property.
To meet all other legal requirements and best practice.
To let and manage properties in an honest, fair, transparent and professional manner.
To ensure any additional requirements as may be set by Local Authorities, are complied with.
To manage properties with due skill, care and diligence and ensure that, where staff are employed, they have the skills and training needed to carry out their tasks.
To do their best to avoid conflicts of interest and where they do arise, to deal with them openly, fairly and promptly.
Not to discriminate on the basis of age, social standing, gender, race, language, sexuality or any other factor that might place an individual at a disadvantage.
To ensure that all communications and dealings with tenants are fair, clear, timely and transparent.
To ensure that all relevant information is provided to tenants prior to them committing to a contractual decision.
To ensure that all advertising and marketing material is accurate and not misleading.
To behave ethically and responsibly at all times.
To ensure tenants are given details of complaints-handling procedures and the redress scheme to which the landlord or agent belongs.
To ensure tenant money is held in a special purpose account (set up by a bank for this purpose) and where held by an agent, it is covered by client money protection insurance.
Through continued professional development (CPD), to ensure you remain knowledgeable and lawful in all aspects of being a successful landlord.
Disclaimer: This code of practice is subject to routine reviews, however, with the pace of change, some information may become dated. No responsibility for loss or damage caused to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of the material included in this Code can be accepted by ALL Wessex.