What is a landlord association?

We explore some of the main landlord associations in the UK and the benefits of joining one, so that you can find the support you need.

What is a landlord association?

Landlord associations provide support, advice, and resources to landlords. They’re also a platform where landlords can network.

To join an association, you’ll need to become a member and pay an annual fee. Some associations are also open to letting agents if they manage property on the landlord’s behalf.

If you’re a landlord of a commercial property, it’s worth double-checking any membership conditions. Most organisations are happy to accept all types of landlords, but a few are primarily aimed at private or residential landlords.

The support provided typically covers all aspects of renting out property, and can include:

Latest legislation news.

Legal advice, including eviction information.

Access to templates and documents, such as tenancy agreements, HMO documentation, and inspection checklists.

Tax information.

Energy efficiency guidance.

Associations also work to represent landlords, advocating their needs to the government.

What’s the difference between landlord, tenants’, and housing associations?

	Landlord association	Tenants’ association	Housing association
Who can join?	Landlords and letting agents	Tenants or leaseholders living in the same building or area	Not-for-profit organisations that provide social housing
How to join	Pay an annual membership fee	Anyone living in the same building or area can join	Become a tenant in a housing association property
Main aim	To provide support, professional advice, and resources	To represent the interests of tenants to the landlord or managing agent	To provide and manage affordable homes, including shared ownership
Typical activities	Provides news and information that affects the rental market Provides templates such as tenancy agreements Offers training, such as fire safety Lobbies government on behalf of landlords	Can challenge increases in service charges Can campaign for improvements and repairs Supports and improves communication with the landlord Organises community events	Builds social housing and shared ownership homes Manages existing properties Collects rent on rental properties Carries out repairs for tenants Provide community services, including regeneration
Examples	National Residential Landlord Association (NRLA) British Landlord Association (BLA) The Guild of Residential Landlords Regional and local landlord associations	Individual groups based in the building or area	Clarion Housing Group Peabody L&Q Group

Who are the main landlord associations in the UK?

There may be associations that are local to you that also focus on regional issues. Otherwise, the biggest organisations welcome landlords from up and down the country, for example:

British Landlord Association (BLA)

The BLA welcomes both residential and commercial landlords and currently has around 40,000 members. Services offered include:

Templates, for example, tenancy agreements, licences, and commercial pre-lease documents.

Legal support, including a dedicated legal telephone helpline, document library, and free legal representation.

Tax advice, including how to maximise deductions while remaining compliant.

Discounted access to tenant credit check services.

Workshops, seminars, and training.

Networking, with local BLA meetings and online forums.

Is the BLA right for me? The BLA may also be worth considering if you own and rent commercial property. The BLA membership costs £89.95 for a one-person membership.

The Guild of Residential Landlords

The Guild started in the south-west of England but now welcomes landlords throughout England and Wales. As well as supporting landlords, the Guild is a landlord itself and only recommends services it uses.

Services from the Guild of Residential Landlords include:

Access to more than 100 forms and templates, including tenancy agreements, rent increase forms, and gas safety inspection letters.

Access to software that enables you to create your own tenancy agreement, which also includes key documents such as the Right to Rent guide.

Access to software that creates an inventory checklist.

Telephone advice line.

Is the Guild of Residential Landlords right for me? Membership is skewed towards ‘professional landlords’ whose sole income is from renting property, but they also cater for all residential landlords, including those who may have only one rental. The Guild is a smaller association that offers software that provides greater flexibility for professional landlords who want to create more bespoke agreements. An annual subscription for one person or business is currently £119; for businesses with three or more employees, membership is £189.

Local and regional landlord associations

There are numerous local and regional landlord associations that cater to landlords in their areas. Larger regional variations include the Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL). Local associations include iHowz Landlord Association. Benefits and prices will vary by association.

Why should I join a landlord association?

The UK rental sector has changed immensely in a short space of time, which can make it hard to keep up with your legal obligations and essential documents. For many landlords, joining an association provides much-needed reassurance, particularly if you sign up for regular updates that keep you informed of new rules and compliance standards.

If you haven’t joined a landlord association yet, here’s why you might find it helpful:

Provides training, enhances credibility, and confidence

Some landlord associations offer training and practical in-person and e-learning courses that can help you get a clearer understanding of your responsibilities. Example training topics include best practices for managing damp and mould, electrical safety, energy efficiency, and dealing with anti-social tenants.

As well as providing you with valuable insight and confidence to manage your rental, it can also help reassure tenants that you take your obligations seriously.

Identify and resolve issues quickly with support

Landlord associations often offer free professional advice as part of their membership packages; access is typically by telephone, email, or online chat.

Not only are advisers fully up to speed with the latest legislative changes, but their focus and expertise in the rental sector can help you resolve issues quickly. It’s also a place where you can find recommendations for potential problems, such as rent guarantee insurance for rent arrears.

If you need legal guidance, associations often also provide this or can signpost you to professional or specialist services. If you have landlord insurance, check whether your policy includes landlord legal expenses cover, which might help or provide guidance.

There are also online forums, and larger associations offer regional networking events where you can gain useful insights and learn from the experiences of others.

Avoid costly errors, penalties, and fines

Knowing your landlord's responsibilities can help you avoid costly mistakes. The UK rental market frequently changes, and if you’re not aware of what you must do by law or what landlord certificates you need, you can face hefty fines. For example, you must ensure a gas safety check is carried out annually (unless advised otherwise by a registered gas safety engineer). If you don’t carry out these checks, you can face unlimited fines and a prison sentence.

As well as keeping you updated on law changes, landlord associations usually also provide analysis and background on why those changes have been introduced. This can help reassure you (and your tenants) that you’re well-versed in current legislation and the reasons it's in place.

Landlord associations also provide a collective voice for landlords, campaigning on behalf of their members and lobbying the government.

Access to templates and information resources

Associations provide their members with a full library of legally approved document templates, including tenancy agreements. You can also find in-depth guides, and Section 24, Section 21, Section 8, Section 11, and Section 13 notices (or the Scottish equivalents). Having these documents to hand can help you streamline admin and save you time.

Discounts and exclusive member benefits

Associations typically partner with retailers and service providers to offer members discounted rates. This could be money off at retailers (such as DIY or paint stores) or reduced premiums for landlord insurance policies with selected providers. Some associations also offer discounted rates on tenancy deposit schemes.

Combined, these discounts can add up to a considerable amount, particularly if you have a larger property portfolio.

Tips from landlord associations

Landlord associations focus on supporting landlords while also working to ensure rental practices are fair and safe for all parties. With that in mind, we’ve put together ten tips from leading landlord associations that can help keep tenancies running smoothly:

Stay on top of the rules

This is the number one priority for all landlords. Although there have been a number of recent changes, it’s essential to stay on top of legislation and key documentation. Not sticking to the rules increases the risk of something going wrong, potentially leaving you facing huge fines, criminal charges, and even prison. So, don’t get caught out – remember to complete all the necessary checks and ensure your health and safety paperwork is up to date. You can also find out more in the government’s official ‘How to let’ guide.

Keep track of your paperwork

Paperwork might feel like a chore, but it’s vital to keep up-to-date records. This includes your tenancy agreement, references, inventories, correspondence, and any receipts for building work and repairs. Keeping documentation can provide evidence and support if you face legal action from tenants.

Respect your tenant

Communicating with tenants professionally is important and helps build respect and trust. It’s always worth listening to tenants’ concerns and dealing with issues sooner rather than later. Not only can this help you identify and resolve issues quickly, but open communication can also make it much easier to discuss sensitive topics, for example, if a tenant loses their job. Fundamentally, a good relationship with tenants makes it more likely that they’ll stay long-term and continue paying rent.

Be fair

As well as respecting tenants, it’s important to be fair and consider their needs, for example, if they want to repaint or keep a pet. Rather than dismiss those requests, think about how they can happen, but in a way that is acceptable to you, too. For example, asking them to return the property to its original condition if they redecorate, or asking tenants with pets to pay for professional cleaning at the end of the tenancy.

If you have genuine concerns about certain requests (such as a tenant wanting to keep a large dog in a small flat), it’s fair and reasonable for you to voice them and ultimately decline. However, every request should be considered in its own right.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

If you’ve got a question, chances are someone else will have the same one, especially if you’re relatively new to being a landlord. One of the benefits of being part of an association is sharing experiences and lessons learned.

If you do ask questions in open forums (which most landlord associations host online), then remember to fact-check the information given to you and ask for more than one opinion. Just because one landlord handles an issue one way doesn’t mean it’s the solution for everyone.

Take your time when selecting tenants

Don’t rush to fill your property with the first interested party. Take your time finding the right tenant by checking references and conducting all relevant credit checks. Letting agencies typically offer a tenant-finding service that can help reduce your admin.

Remember – if you don’t think a tenant is a good fit, you can decline. You can find out more in our in-depth guides to finding the right tenant and signs of a bad tenant.

Grow your knowledge

If you want to manage your own rental properties or it’s your sole source of income, then it’s important to treat it like a job and give it suitable attention, for example:

Assess and understand the risks of renting out property.

Learning from past mistakes to avoid them in the future.

Understanding your local rental market.

Keep on top of legislation and your landlord responsibilities.

Knowing how landlord insurance can help protect your assets.

You can also find out more from our dedicated landlord advice and guidance page.

Understand the financials

As a source of income, you must get the most out of your rental. If you’ve only ever had a topline view of basic costs (cost of purchase, mortgage, and insurance), you might not be making the most of its potential.

If you’re not sure where to start, speaking to an accountant can help. They’ll be able to take you through potential returns and yield, tax implications, interest, and other expenditures, along with any financial risks.

Communicate with your letting agent

If you’re using a letting agent to manage your property or portfolio, don’t forget to check in with them regularly. It’s easy to stand back and let an agency manage the day-to-day, but in the eyes of the law, it’s the landlord who is ultimately responsible for ensuring that all legal obligations are met.

It’s important to check that your agency is up to date with health and safety documentation, on top of maintenance and repairs, and resolving issues within a reasonable time.  

Join a landlord association

Unsurprisingly, landlord associations encourage landlords to join, and many find it helpful and worth the annual cost.

Membership fees might be an expense you’d prefer to avoid, but the level of support, legal advice, and resources can make it good value for money over the course of the year. Staying updated with the latest news and legislation can also help you avoid falling foul of the law.

Supporting landlords and protecting assets

There’s no legal requirement to join a landlord association, and it’s your choice whether to take up membership of one. Associations appeal to all types of landlords, regardless of portfolio size or experience. For many, the real benefit is the reassurance that there’s support if needed and a forum to meet, share, and discuss queries, issues, and legislation.

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What is a landlord association, and should I join one?

In this article

In this article

What is a landlord association?

What’s the difference between landlord, tenants’, and housing associations?