Lettings agents and property management

It is a legal requirement for all lettings agents and property managers to join a Government approved redress scheme.

The Council is responsible for the enforcement of this legal requirement in Bradford District. This includes the power to impose a fine of up to £5000 where the Council is satisfied that someone is engaged in letting or property management work but has failed to join a scheme.

Lettings agency work is defined as things done by someone in the course of a business in response to instructions from either a private rented sector landlord who wants to find a tenant, or a tenant who wants to find a property in the private rented sector.

Property management work is categorised as things done by someone in the course of a business in response to instructions from another person who wants to arrange services, repairs, maintenance, improvements, insurance, or to deal with any other aspect of the management of premises consisting of, or containing, a dwelling-house let under either a long lease, an assured tenancy or a protected tenancy.

The approved schemes are:

• The Property Ombudsman: 01722 335458 tpos.co.uk
• Property Redress Scheme: 0333 321 9418 theprs.co.uk

Bradford Council will impose a fine of £5,000 if it finds any company operating as lettings agents or property managers in the Bradford District without being members of one of the government approved schemes. However, we will reduce the fine level to £413.33 (figure correct in 2022/23) if an agent can show that they have joined a redress scheme within the 28 day notice period, because the Council prefers to work with owners, landlords and property managers to address issues wherever possible. The reduced fine level is the average cost to the Council of enforcing these powers.