LLAS is a pan London scheme, launched in 2004, the scheme is an initiative which help to raise standards and recognise good practices in the private rented market, By participating in the Scheme, landlords and agents have an opportunity to gain the wide range of skills and knowledge necessary to make renting a successful business, improve the condition and operation of the rented market, reduce the need for intervention from local authorities, enabling tenants to recognise private landlords and agents who are committed to providing good quality accommodation and more importantly assist in the prevention of Homelessness.

Since its launch, it has proved to be the most popular and successful schemes. It was the first to operate on a regional basis and the first to accredit the landlord or agent on the basis of them undertaking a development course and demonstrating a certain level of understanding confirmed by using the validation exercise (test) at the end of the course.

The LLAS model has been followed by other regions including the West Midlands Region (Midland Landlord Accreditation Scheme – MLAS) and Wales (Landlord Accreditation Wales – LAW). Several local authorities and sub-regions have also joined LLAS with their own branded schemes, but administered by and following the terms and conditions of the LLAS.

LLAS is currently administering the Hampshire Landlord Accreditation Scheme (HLAS), Kent Landlord Accreditation Scheme, (KLAS) Sussex Landlord Accreditation Scheme, (SLAS) Surreyheath Borough Council (SHLAS) Accreditation Scheme and Thames Gateway Gateway South Essex Accreditation Scheme. (TGSE-LAS).

London faces a huge challenge in providing housing for all its population, both now and in the future. Private rented housing plays a unique role in London’s housing market by meeting the demand for housing from the increasing numbers who are not eligible for social housing and who cannot afford the commitment of a mortgage. Especially in light of the discharge of homeless duty to PRS, LLAS acts as an excellent safeguard to local authorities who use properties from accredited landlords to provide housing to those face with homelessness.

Notable successes in the last 6 years include:

• A partnership of 54 Local Authorities

• Multi discipline Steering Group established with representatives from all London Local Authorities including Kent, Midlands, Sussex, Hampshire, SurreyHeath, Thames Gateway and Wales’s authorities, Landlord organisations and university accommodation units.

• The LLAS model has formed the basis of a regional accreditation scheme proposed by Accreditation Network UK (ANUK) and it’s hoped that it will lead to a nationally recognised model to give landlords the knowledge and support to improve and maintain good quality private rented accommodation across all regions in England and Wales

• 325 development training sessions have been run and over 10000 accredited landlords and agents’

• Over 2000 landlords and agents accredited outside of London and we have ongoing training programme in place.

• 69 CPD (Continues professional Development) sessions have been ran and over 2000 landlords have attended so far, average attendance of 35 per session

• The LLAS has developed a database called Events and Offences Database which is in operation and data is currently being collected and held centrally. The database provides information on the activities of private rented sector landlords for participating Boroughs

• Piloted a successful Green Landlord Scheme in March 2011 and this will be roll out across London and across all regions

• Landlords are using on average £15,000.00, to carry out significant levels of improvements and repair, without Local Authorities involvement,

• Acting as a funding agent for GOL, LLAS helped delivered homes occupied by vulnerable households to be made decent, funding for energy efficient measures, facilitated the use of funds to bring empty properties back into use, warm zone project etc.