letting agents and arla

[jcwuk]

So according to the ombudsman the letting industry is unregulated .

As we understand it a branch who is a member of Arla has to answer to "ARLA" but a member e.g "MARLA" does not have to.

Can anyone explain why this is the case and what is the general opinion of "Arla" ?

Cheers

[10 Pence Short]

They make excellent milk.

[mike_1985]

Its a bit like a code of conduct for estate agents , its not necessary but it helps people be at peace and its meant to act like a moral standard.

They will still rape you sideways even if they they do belong to it

[jcwuk]

mike_1985 said:

Its a bit like a code of conduct for estate agents , its not necessary but it helps people be at peace and its meant to act like a moral standard.

They will still rape you sideways even if they they do belong to it

Just found out that if you are a personal member the arla cannot hold you to "task" but if your branch is a member then they can hold you responsible for an error's so to speak so why have personal membership if it has not "substance"
is the letters just to make you look better ?

[scotal]

jcwuk said:

is the letters just to make you look better ?

From what little research I've done I'd say yes. SOme mortgage lenders will take the word of an ARLA letting agent for rental valuation purposes, when they wont accept the word of non-arla agents.

[jcwuk]

scotal said:

jcwuk said:

is the letters just to make you look better ?

From what little research I've done I'd say yes. SOme mortgage lenders will take the word of an ARLA letting agent for rental valuation purposes, when they wont accept the word of non-arla agents.

Thats worrying as for £155 per year it makes your more "respectful".
So I guess its a type of fake qualification ?

[scotal]

jcwuk said:

scotal said:

jcwuk said:

is the letters just to make you look better ?

From what little research I've done I'd say yes. SOme mortgage lenders will take the word of an ARLA letting agent for rental valuation purposes, when they wont accept the word of non-arla agents.

Thats worrying as for £155 per year it makes your more "respectful".
So I guess its a type of fake qualification ?

Well you have to complete courses and sit exams, but I can't think they are too hard. The big problem with ARLA is that membership is voulntary, as one agent put it to me, "why would I join an organisation that makes it harder to do my business?" i.e he would have rules to obey, mainly based around ethics, currently he has no such constraints.

I don't know what you do JCW, but the whole property industry in the Uk is based on the lowest common denominator. A great many of the people in it are dangerously stupid. (That's Letting Agents, Selling agents, Mortgage people, mortgage lenders, some of the people at RICS) Sticking letters after people's names doesn't make them any cleverer, it simply makes them pompous.

ETA Of course they are dealing with the general public, who are generally every bit as underhand and devious as agents/brokers/whatever.

Edited by scotal on Wednesday 10th September 08:09

[jcwuk]

scotal said:

jcwuk said:

scotal said:

jcwuk said:

is the letters just to make you look better ?

From what little research I've done I'd say yes. SOme mortgage lenders will take the word of an ARLA letting agent for rental valuation purposes, when they wont accept the word of non-arla agents.

Thats worrying as for £155 per year it makes your more "respectful".
So I guess its a type of fake qualification ?

Well you have to complete courses and sit exams, but I can't think they are too hard. The big problem with ARLA is that membership is voulntary, as one agent put it to me, "why would I join an organisation that makes it harder to do my business?" i.e he would have rules to obey, mainly based around ethics, currently he has no such constraints.

I don't know what you do JCW, but the whole property industry in the Uk is based on the lowest common denominator. A great many of the people in it are dangerously stupid. (That's Letting Agents, Selling agents, Mortgage people, mortgage lenders, some of the people at RICS) Sticking letters after people's names doesn't make them any cleverer, it simply makes them pompous.

ETA Of course they are dealing with the general public, who are generally every bit as underhand and devious as agents/brokers/whatever.

Edited by scotal on Wednesday 10th September 08:09

I agree with your comments .
Im based in the UK and have to say how shocking some of the attitudes are of both estate agents and letting agents.

The membership to Arla is a joke and I agree with your comments regarding some letters behind people names make them more pompous.