Landlord Accreditation Wales

Introduced in November 2008, Landlord Accreditation Wales (LAWS) is supported by all 22 local authorities in Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government.

Based on the successful London Landlords' Scheme, LAWS accredits a landlord personally and is not linked to a particular property.

Any landlord of residential property across Wales can apply to join the scheme including individuals or companies and including managing agents.

There is no fee to join, but there is a fee for a one day development course, which is central to the scheme.

To become accredited you must sign up to a Code of Conduct, declare that you are Fit and Proper and successfully complete the development course.

LAWS aims to give all members, whether people with one buy-to-let property or investors with a portfolio of houses, a positive boost to running their business correctly and in accordance with the rules and regulations governing the private rented sector.

Some advantages to the scheme are:

• additional knowledge of legislation and how to put it into practice
• an advantage in marketing your property locally and on the LAWS website
• a wider network of other landlords to share experiences
• one application covers you for your properties throughout the whole of Wales
• discounts on HMO licence application fees for properties in Swansea
• tenants can be confident that their property will be well managed.

LAWS replaces the former Swansea Landlords' Accreditation Scheme. All accreditations under that scheme will expire on 30 June 2009. If you own a licensable HMO in Swansea your existing accreditation will still entitle you to discount on our HMO licence fee for any application you make up to 30 June 2009. From 1 July 2009 you will only be accredited and eligible for the discount if you are a member of LAWS.

LAWS is being administered by colleagues at Cardiff Council. You can read more at http://www.welshlandlords.org.uk/ where you can also apply for membership. Alternatively, you can contact Anne Rowland at Cardiff Council:

Tel: 029 2053 7023,

Email:  info@welshlandlords.org.uk

Landlord Accreditation Wales,
c/o Private Sector Housing,
PO Box 67
Cardiff
CF11 1LY.