The National Approved Letting Scheme
The National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS) is an accreditation scheme for lettings and managements agents. NALS is backed by the Government who provide funding, and is supported by various property industry professional bodies including ARLA (Association of Residential Letting Agents), NAEA (National Association of Estate Agents) and RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors).
What does that mean for me?
Peace of mind! Basically, if a letting agent is NALS accredited, it lets you know that they've been vetted and deemed to meet designated criteria. It also means that if anything does go wrong, there's a complaints procedure in place run by an independent body.
How am I protected?
NALS' members must have the necessary insurances in place to protect clients' money, and they must also keep this money in a separate account from the firm's funds. Member firms must also adhere to a customer complaints procedure which offers independent redress in the case of disputes.