ARLA

Formed in 1981, ALRA the Association of Residential Letting Agents, is a self regulating body solely concerned with lettings. Currently it claims to have 1,500 members with offices throughout the UK.

All members are required to have professional indemnity insurance and are covered by a bonding scheme which provides financial protection for client monies.

ARLA members are governed by its Code of Practice which lists among its aims that of helping to maintain and enhance the reputation, standing and good name of ARLA and its membership by protecting the public against fraud, misrepresentation and malpractice in the lettings industry. It also has its own complaints and disciplinary procedures so that any dispute is dealt with efficiently and fairly.

ARLA has a Tenancy Deposit Scheme for Regulated Agents (TDSRA) which it says will 'resolve deadlocked tenancy disputes over the apportionment and settlement of deposits following the end of a tenancy'.

When the letting agent is holding the deposit but cannot negotiate a settlement between landlord and tenant, all details of the dispute, along with the deposit money that cannot be settled, will be sent to the Independent case examiner for the scheme and will then be subject to expert third party adjudication.

ARLA's website also contains sections giving Information to tenants.