The most widely recognised national accreditation scheme in England is the NRLA (National Residential Landlords Association) accreditation programme, available free to NRLA members who complete the online training modules and pass the accreditation exam. Alongside the NRLA scheme, dozens of local authorities run their own accreditation programmes — typically requiring landlords to attend a training day or complete online modules, agree to a code of standards, and subject their properties to periodic inspection. The value of local authority accreditation is often tied directly to the local selective licensing regime: in areas where selective licensing is in force, accredited landlords may pay a reduced fee or be exempt from the scheme entirely.
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 introduces the PRS Property Portal — a mandatory registration system for all private landlords in England that is separate from and not to be confused with accreditation. Registration on the portal is a legal requirement; accreditation remains voluntary. The Government has consulted on whether to link minimum landlord knowledge standards to portal registration — an outcome that could make training a condition of lawful letting in England in future, but no final decision has been reached.
NRLA accreditation, local authority schemes and specialist programmes
The main accreditation options available to UK landlords — and how each works in practice:
- NRLA (National Residential Landlords Association) accreditation: The NRLA accreditation programme is the principal national voluntary accreditation for residential landlords in England and Wales. To achieve NRLA Accredited status, a landlord must: (a) be a paid NRLA member; (b) complete the NRLA's online Foundation training modules (covering tenancy law; health and safety; property management; deposit protection; right to rent; gas safety; EPC requirements; and related compliance topics); (c) pass the NRLA accreditation assessment (online multiple-choice exam); (d) agree to abide by the NRLA Code of Practice. NRLA accreditation is free to members who complete the required training — there is no additional accreditation fee. Accredited status is renewable (landlords are expected to keep their training current as legislation changes). Benefits of NRLA accreditation: (a) selective licensing: a number of local authorities (including Bristol City Council, Nottingham City Council, and others) either exempt NRLA accredited landlords from selective licensing schemes or offer a reduced selective licensing fee (typically a reduction of £100-£200 on the standard fee); (b) preferred landlord status with councils: some councils' housing departments maintain a preferred landlord register — accreditation is commonly a condition of listing; accredited landlords on the register may receive direct referrals of tenants from the council's housing waiting list or homelessness prevention team; (c) professional recognition: NRLA Accredited status is recognised by council housing officers, lettings agents, and some insurers as evidence of good practice. The NRLA also offers additional professional accreditation levels for experienced landlords. NRLA membership: currently approximately £99 per year for a standard landlord member; the training and accreditation are included in membership at no extra cost
- Local authority accreditation schemes: Many local authorities in England run their own landlord accreditation schemes — typically tailored to their local housing market and linked to their selective licensing and housing enforcement priorities. Examples of active council accreditation schemes: (a) Leeds Rental Standard (administered by Leeds City Council and the RLA/NRLA) — accredited landlords commit to a code of standards; benefit from inclusion in the council's preferred landlord directory; (b) Birmingham Landlord Accreditation Scheme — operated by Birmingham City Council with partner housing organisations; training-based accreditation with inspection options; (c) Manchester Landlord Accreditation — covers the City of Manchester licensing areas; accreditation can reduce the selective licensing fee; (d) DASH (Decent and Safe Homes) — the principal accreditation service for landlords in the East Midlands (Derbyshire; Leicestershire; Lincolnshire; Nottinghamshire; Rutland; Northamptonshire) — provides landlord accreditation; HMO licensing advice; property inspection services; training. DASH accreditation is widely recognised by East Midlands councils and selective licensing authorities; (e) Nottingham City Council selective licensing: NRLA or DASH accredited landlords pay a reduced licence fee — a direct financial benefit. Local authority accreditation benefits: selective licensing fee reduction (typically £100-£250 per licence); selective licensing scheme exemption (rare but exists in some areas); priority council housing referrals; access to rent deposit guarantee schemes (where the council operates one — covers the deposit so the landlord does not need to take a cash deposit from council-nominated tenants); reduced HMO licence fees (in some LAs); inclusion in the council's preferred landlord directory.
Specialist programmes, mandatory registration vs accreditation and Scottish position
Sector-specific accreditation and the distinction between mandatory registration and voluntary accreditation:
- Unipol Code of Standards and student sector accreditation: Unipol is a not-for-profit organisation operating primarily in the north of England (Leeds; Bradford; Sheffield; Nottingham and associated university towns) that provides a Code of Standards for student accommodation — covering both purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and converted/private rented properties let to student tenants. Landlords who let to students can apply to join the Unipol Code — committing to property standards, management standards, and tenancy terms appropriate for student lettings. Unipol accreditation provides: (a) listing on the Unipol student housing directory (used by students at member universities to find accommodation); (b) a dispute resolution service; (c) recognition by partner universities' accommodation services. Unipol Code accreditation is used by Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, and Nottingham universities' accommodation offices as a quality benchmark when referring students to private landlords. Safeagent (client money protection accreditation): Safeagent is a client money protection (CMP) scheme for letting agents — accrediting agents, not landlords. However, landlords frequently confuse it with landlord accreditation. CMP is mandatory for all letting agents in England (Tenant Fees Act 2019 and associated regulations). If a landlord uses a letting agent, they should confirm the agent holds a Safeagent or equivalent CMP scheme membership (Propertymark CMP; RICS CMP). Government landlord knowledge standard (consultation): the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC — now MHCLG) has consulted on whether to require landlords to demonstrate minimum knowledge standards as a condition of registration on the PRS Property Portal (RRA 2025). The outcome of that consultation has not yet been implemented — accreditation remains voluntary at national level for now. Landlords planning to register on the PRS Property Portal should watch for any announcement that knowledge standards are introduced as a mandatory condition
- Mandatory registration vs voluntary accreditation — Scottish and NI positions: A critical distinction exists between mandatory landlord registration (a legal requirement) and voluntary accreditation (a quality recognition scheme): (a) England: the PRS Property Portal (RRA 2025 — expected introduction late 2026 onwards) is mandatory registration, not accreditation. All private landlords in England must register on the portal before granting new tenancies — failure is an offence. Registration does not require a training exam or code of conduct commitment; HMO licensing (mandatory under HA 2004 for qualifying HMOs) and selective licensing (where in force) are mandatory licensing schemes — separate from and not equivalent to accreditation; NRLA accreditation and local authority accreditation schemes remain voluntary nationally; (b) Scotland: Scottish Landlord Registration (Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 Part 8) is mandatory for ALL private landlords in Scotland — all landlords must register at register.landlord.gov.scot and hold a valid registration number before advertising or letting. Scottish Landlord Registration is mandatory registration, not accreditation — it does not require a training exam but does require the landlord to demonstrate they are a 'fit and proper person'. It is not equivalent to NRLA accreditation. Scottish councils may operate their own separate accreditation or preferred landlord schemes alongside mandatory registration; (c) Wales: Rent Smart Wales (Housing (Wales) Act 2014) requires all Welsh landlords to register with Rent Smart Wales and either hold a Rent Smart Wales landlord licence or use a licensed agent. The Rent Smart Wales landlord licence requires completing Rent Smart Wales training. Rent Smart Wales licensing is mandatory in Wales — it includes a training component that overlaps with what accreditation delivers in England, but it is a mandatory scheme, not voluntary accreditation; (d) Northern Ireland: NI Landlord Registration (landlordregistrationni.gov.uk) is mandatory for all NI private landlords — registration not accreditation; NI has no direct equivalent of the English voluntary accreditation schemes
Frequently asked questions
Is landlord accreditation mandatory in England?+
No. Landlord accreditation is not mandatory at national level in England. The NRLA accreditation programme and local authority accreditation schemes are voluntary. Mandatory schemes in England are: HMO licensing (for qualifying HMOs under HA 2004); selective licensing (where a local authority has designated a selective licensing area); and the PRS Property Portal registration (once introduced under RRA 2025 — expected late 2026). Accreditation is separate from and not a substitute for these mandatory requirements. The practical benefit of accreditation in England comes through selective licensing fee reductions and council preferred landlord status in local authority schemes that recognise it.
What is the NRLA accreditation scheme and how do I get it?+
The NRLA (National Residential Landlords Association) accreditation programme is the principal national voluntary accreditation for residential landlords in England and Wales. To become NRLA Accredited: (1) join the NRLA (currently approximately £99/year for a standard landlord); (2) complete the NRLA's online Foundation training modules (covering tenancy law; compliance; deposit protection; right to rent; EPC and health and safety requirements); (3) pass the online accreditation assessment (multiple choice exam); (4) agree to the NRLA Code of Practice. Accreditation is free to members who complete the training. The certificate and status are recognised by many local authorities when assessing selective licensing applications.
Can NRLA accreditation exempt me from selective licensing?+
In some local authority areas, yes. A number of councils — including Bristol City Council and Nottingham City Council — either exempt NRLA accredited landlords from selective licensing fees or offer a fee reduction. However, this is not universal: the selective licensing exemption for accredited landlords exists only where the local authority has chosen to include it in their scheme designation. Before assuming you qualify for a selective licensing exemption based on accreditation, check the specific terms of the relevant selective licensing scheme designation document — which sets out all qualifying conditions for any available exemptions.
How does Scottish Landlord Registration differ from accreditation?+
Scottish Landlord Registration is mandatory registration required by law (Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 Part 8) — all private landlords in Scotland must register at register.landlord.gov.scot before advertising or letting. It is not the same as voluntary accreditation. Registration requires the landlord to demonstrate they are a 'fit and proper person' (no relevant criminal convictions; no history of unlawful eviction; no significant housing standards breaches), but does not require a training exam or code of conduct commitment as accreditation schemes do. Scottish councils may separately operate voluntary preferred landlord or accreditation programmes alongside the mandatory registration requirement.
- Selective licensing — designation, application and compliance →
- PRS Property Portal — mandatory registration under RRA 2025 →
- Mandatory HMO licensing — qualifying criteria and application →
- Scottish Landlord Registration — mandatory registration at register.landlord.gov.scot →
- Rent Smart Wales — mandatory landlord registration and licensing in Wales →
- Letting agents — choosing, instructing and monitoring your agent →