The British Property Federation today launched an accreditation scheme aimed at promoting a high standard of property regulations across the commercial leasing market.
Membership of the government-backed Commercial Landlords Accreditation Scheme (CLAS) will help to promote landlords with an awareness of business needs, supply a wide range of manageable, flexible leases and deal with tenant complaints efficiently and fairly.
A new commercial lease code will support the initiative, explaining the risks of leasing to prospective small business occupiers and the necessity of implementing a written complaints procedure. Landlords also face disciplinary action if rules are broken.
Introducing the scheme, Yvette Cooper MP, the minister for state housing and planning, called it “a welcome and important step forward” for the industry, while Liz Peace, chief executive of the British Property Federation said it should “prove particularly useful to smaller landlords who want to follow good practice and gain credit for doing so.”
Importantly, the scheme is being feted for its ability to increase the tenant’s confidence. Robert Harris, director at Dorrington Plc, a medium sized property investment company, welcomed the measure, saying that it will provide a “brand that customers can trust” and that the independent Standards Board and complaints procedures will help to secure this position.
Small businesses are set to benefit as much as large – Heather Hawker, member of CLAS and chairman and MD of Simmons and Hawker Ltd, a family owned investment company, recognised that “competition is fierce” in the leasings market and that an open acknowledgement of good practice can only be beneficial.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2007
