NALS 'fair fees' agents "committed to making fee ban work"

The NALS ‘Fair Fees Forum’ - set up before last week’s announcement on the banning of letting agency fees levied on tenants - is to combine the efforts of its agent members when the government consultation on the ban begins in the New Year.

A working group of the forum has met consisting representatives from Belvoir, Chestertons, Northwood, Spicerhaart, Touchstone, Winkworth, British Property Federation, Shelter, Residential Landlords Association, Greater London Authority, Ombudsman Services: Property, Property Redress Scheme and - in listening mode - the Department for Communities and Local Government.

A summary of the meeting issued by NALS states that “members of the working group agreed they were committed to making work, what is now the political will of government.”

The summary went on to reveal that the group unanimously agreed it “would work to inform the scope of the government’s consultation on banning fees charged by letting agents to tenants” - but then went on to say that “some members of the group also reserved the right to make counter proposals to an outright ban.”

The group is also seeking a meeting with housing minister Gavin Barwell MP to present the evidence once collated and explain the implications of any ban.

The Association of Residential Letting Agents, The Property Ombudsman , the National Landlords Association and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors will be invited to any future meeting.