Thursday, 27 August 2015
Accredited landlord Claire Empson talks about why she joined the London Rental Standard.
My name is Claire and I’ve been a landlord for twelve or thirteen years now. I’m a member of the Mayor’s London Rental Standard. I joined because I wanted to know everything I could about being a landlord.
The training I’ve had through the London Rental Standard has given me a wealth of information. There’s a lot of legislation and red tape out there, but now I feel properly equipped to deal with it. More importantly, it gives you the correct information. You can look on the internet but you can’t be sure if what you’re reading is accurate or up to date. That’s particularly true on sites where landlords answer questions they might not be qualified to. I believe it’s absolutely vital to get the right information.
The other great thing about joining the London Rental Standard is you become part of a community. There are online forums where you can talk to other landlords and share experiences. Being a good landlord also helps you attract better tenants. The tenants benefit too, because the tenancies are more smooth-running and professional and properties are of a better standard. When you join you sign a code of conduct to say that you know what you’re doing. It’s a way of showing tenants you’ll do a good job.
Doing training made me feel more professional. It gave me all the tools and documents I need, as well as the information to develop on a much more professional level. There are so many benefits to joining the London Rental Standard and it’s really easy to do. I’d recommend it to every landlord in London.
Join the London Rental Standard
It’s not hard to join the London Rental Standard. The one day course covers lots of useful information to help landlords learn all about managing properties and tenancies well. Just head to london.gov.uk/landlords to watch some helpful videos featuring landlords and experts, and get started.