Landlord group calls for a new national representative organisation

Reply to the comment left by Lordship at 27/02/2025 – 10:29
“I have met landlords who have never heard of them!”

SO what does that say about those LL’s?

Reply to the comment left by JeggNegg at 27/02/2025 – 11:52
I’ve been a member of the NRLA for over 20 years.

I attend local meetings when they have them (there are less now for some reason) I have used their advice line and their AST’s etc. I have done some of the courses, but there are virtually none now, as I prefer in person training.

I think they offer OK value for money. However, that’s all they really are and you only need a handful of staff to do that.

Those running the show are ineffective getting landlords concerns heard etc. So, stop the pretence and the paying out of big salaries.

Paul Cunningham, chair of the Eastern Landlords’ Association….

This guy is in competition with NRLA. He is hardly going to be complimentary to them is he.

Reply to the comment left by Harry at 27/02/2025 – 11:51
The NRLA membership is about 110,000 and there are roughly 2.4 million landlords. You do the maths, it’s 4.58%.

Reply to the comment left by Harry at 27/02/2025 – 11:51
It’s claimed that there are 2.82 million private landlords in England. NRLA boast just over 100,000 members.

However, the English Housing Survey suggests 21% of landlords are (or have been) members of the NRLA.

Either way, most landlords are NOT members.

Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 27/02/2025 – 12:14
I wonder how many of the millions of landlords have been contacted by the NRLA for marketing purposes?

Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 27/02/2025 – 12:14
“Either way, most landlords are NOT members.”

100,000/28200000 = 3.5%

Reply to the comment left by Ian Narbeth at 27/02/2025 – 10:49
This government has taken the Tories misjudged attack on landlords and chosen to double down.

Not only are landlords watching the progress of the Renters Rights Bill with disbelief and horror, we have already seen this government’s casual disregard of the original intent and provisions of the Housing Act when Licensing was introduced. Intended as a tool to be used in exceptional circumstances, the unannounced use of secondary legislation to remove restrictions of indiscriminate use of licensing by councils effectively confirms this as a revenue stream for local authorities.

Yesterday saw the close of the first of two consultations on EPCs. This consultation was so complex in its structure that it effectively excluded many of the landlords who will be subject to its provisions.

There is an unfortunate tribalism that raises its head here when some landlord associations are mentioned.
As John Mac rightly points out, less than 5% of PRS landlords belong to a landlord association, while others, particularly those with properties in different regions, or countries (Scotland, Wales, NI), may belong to several, in order to get their voice heard at local, regional and national level.

It is landlords who are poorly educated on their responsibilities, as well the smaller element of criminal landlords who have enabled the well funded tenant groups to push their agenda, which has been taken up by politicians.

Many landlord associations, including iHowz have been campaigning tirelessly on behalf of their members, and the wider PRS community to push back on those renters reforms/rights which will have unintended consequences and ultimately impact tenants as landlords withdraw supply from the market. (A point acknowledged by Unite in their recent year end accounts.)

Instead of sniping at the impotency of landlord associations:
I urge those who have not already done so to join one, so that, like the farmers, we might get more positive media coverage and hence the ear of government (local and national).
I also ask those who are already members of landlord associations, when you meet a landlord who has not heard of landlord associations or complains that they don’t want to pay (typically) less than £100 pa, remind them that lack of representation contributed to the failure of the S24 campaigns by mark Alexander and others.

All too often, I meet penny wise, pound poor landlords, such as these, who often say “everything is available free on the internet”. When they then start to tell me about the council writing to them, or a problem tenant, I am forced to point out that “Plan A has clearly not worked out for them”.
No wonder the Government want us to professionalise/penalise* the PRS. [delete as appropriate]

If you want to join the debate, why not come and meet some of the iHowz team at the National landlord Investment Show?
https://www.landlordinvestmentshow.co.uk/19-march-london

Follow the latest developments on the RRB and our other campaigns here
https://ihowz.uk/

Reply to the comment left by Boris at 27/02/2025 – 12:04He is not competition. Eastern landlords represent local landlords on Local Authority issues. They are not resourced to tackle national issues. NRLA are very poor at representing landlords locally, hence the rise of smaller landlord organisations all around the UK. From my experience in Bristol and Bath, we have always been poorly attended by the national landlord organisations, even when a rep is allocated, they are not empowered and quickly disappear despite the pay incentive they now receive. The NRLA has not moved on with government decentralisation, if they recognised this and tackled local authorities more effectively them they would experience a growing landlord membership base. This would place them in a stronger position to tackle national issues before they become new law! As far as yhe RRBill, it’s all too late!

Reply to the comment left by Lordship at 27/02/2025 – 12:04
My Lordship.
Thanks for your comments.
You make excellent points. I have been a LL since early 2000, but only a member NRLA as I didn’t know it existed ( before the merger).
So yes they need to do more to increase membership and find out what members want etc.
a fair comment re why do they need the current workforce! Is that what members.
I agree with you there are less local meetings which is something I always tried to attend. Is that what members what? I was never asked what I want!
I expressed my concerns over why management thought they needed to invest time effort money into creating NRLA Portfolio system, when there are several others available off the self. I have not asked how much it cost to develop, or annual running cost, how many members use it, are they happy with the service etc, or what added value members found. Was I asked if I would use it? NO!
Will I use it No.
1 because the last time i saw it being demonstrated at annual conference 2023, I recall there were several features still not available. Although Several attendees I heard say they were using it but I don’t know what they thought of it. I think it was free!

2 I think to transfer all my data from current record keeping system to NRLA Portfolio might be time consuming and for what.?
3 I assume part of my membership fees are being used to support something I don’t require.
4 i don’t recall receiving marketing material or an invite to see a live demo of how great it is?
Which supports many subscribers negative comments.
That said I am happy to have the support at the end of a phone. Should it be cheaper? It could be!
Maybe members should let management know what we want
Maybe NRLA will take today’s comments and recognise many members might like the organisation to look in different directions!
Hopefully things might change.