SAL membership policy

About the Scottish Association of Landlords

The Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) is the largest and only dedicated national organisation that represents landlords and letting agents throughout Scotland.

We support and represent our members’ interests through providing resources and assistance as well as delivering lobbying and campaigning work.  Letting agents are directly represented by our Council of Letting Agents policy group.

Whatever scale you operate on, from those renting out a single property to managers of the largest agency portfolios, we can help you.

  • Our policy and parliamentary affairs work has been campaigning at the heart of the Scottish Parliament since our incorporation and has had numerous campaigning successes.
  • SAL links with Scottish local authorities centrally, and we actively campaign at both local and national level on behalf of our member landlords and agents.
  • SAL online and in-person member meetings are the opportunity for members to come together, to learn from each other’s experience, hear from external speakers and feed into SAL local and national policy and plans.
  • Our unique training programme is delivered via our sister organisation Landlord Accreditation Scotland (LAS) which offers a variety of useful modules in their Core information, Best practice, Legal update and LETWELL programmes. Bespoke training is also available. SAL members benefit from discounts on all training courses.
  • Members can access documents and factsheets including all documentation for creating tenancies. Documents can be downloaded and adapted to your own needs and are complemented by the unlimited use of our free members’ advice helpline.
  • Members also have access to a number of member discounts through our online supplier and discounts directory, providing members with a way of saving money throughout their membership with SAL.
  • Our five-year strategy sets out our vision, mission, purpose and values along with three strategic themes of Connect, Unite and Strengthen.

 

  1. Purpose and scope of our membership policy

The SAL membership policy outlines the rights, responsibilities, and procedures relating to membership with the Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL).

It applies to all individuals and organisations seeking or holding membership with SAL.

SAL exists to represent, support and inform landlords and letting agents in Scotland, and to promote best practice in the private rented sector.


2. Eligibility for membership

Membership is open to:

  • Private residential landlords who own or manage their own property in Scotland.
  • Letting agents and property managers operating in Scotland.
  • Individuals or organisations with a professional interest in the private rented sector in Scotland.

Applicants must:

  • Agree to abide by SAL’s Code of Practice and any relevant legislation.
  • Provide accurate and complete information during the application process.

Please note memberships are not transferable between people or organisations.

 

  1. Membership categories and fees

Landlord membership

  • Suitable for individual landlords who own and/or manage their own properties.
  • An individual landlord may add their spouse or partner, resident at the same home address, to their SAL landlord membership. Only those named on the membership will be able to use SAL member services.
  • One membership fee covers the landlord and/or spouse.
  • By applying for landlord membership, landlord members agree to abide by the SAL Landlord Code of Practice (which can be found online here).

Landlord membership fees

  • Annual membership fees are set by the SAL Board and reviewed annually.
  • Current fees are published on the SAL website here. Landlord membership costs £125 (paid by card or BACS) or £115 (paid by Direct Debit) per year.
  • We are able to offer a discount for memberships paid by Direct Debit as this minimises the administration involved with the running of the membership, and therefore minimises our costs, allowing us to pass this saving onto our members.
  • Memberships run for 12 months from the date of joining.
  • Landlord membership is for landlords who let out properties they own. If you let properties which belong to others, SAL letting agent membership is required.
  • Landlords also with properties in England and Wales may wish to add on membership with the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) – the cost of the combined membership is £135 per year.

    Membership prices include delivery of member information including our magazine Landlord Focus, which will be posted to your account address three times a year.

    Please note that membership fees are exempt from VAT.

     

    Letting agent membership

    • Suitable for companies or organisations who let out properties owned by others, and who are registered with the Scottish Government as a letting agent. The Letting Agent Registration Number (LARN) will be required as part of the joining process.
    • Those required to register as a letting agent in Scotland, must choose our letting agent membership package when joining SAL.
    • Each letting agent membership may have up to six members of staff linked to the membership, all based in one premises.
    • Where a company has more than one office in Scotland that deals with lettings, all offices involved with managing lettings will be required to join and become a member of SAL with one membership per office. Our multiple branch membership package provides discounts and savings for these scenarios.
    • Each membership will have one main member representative allocated to oversee the administration of the membership and those members of staff it covers.
    • Multiple memberships can also be held for any premises where more than 6 members of staff require to use SAL member services.
    • When applying for letting agent membership, the letting agent must be registered letting agents and in applying, agree to comply with the Scottish Government Letting Agent Code of Practice (which can be found online here).

    Letting agent membership fees

    • Annual membership fees are set by the SAL Board and reviewed annually.
    • Current fees are published on the SAL website here. Letting agent membership costs £450 (paid by card or BACS) or £390 (paid by Direct Debit) per year.
    • We are able to offer a discount for memberships paid by Direct Debit as this minimises the administration involved with the running of the membership, and therefore minimises our costs, allowing us to pass this saving onto our members.
    • Memberships run for 12 months from the date of joining.
    • In paying the fee to apply for SAL letting agent membership, you will have made a declaration online or verbally that your company is registered as a letting agent in Scotland. This declaration will be verified on the next working day using https://lettingagentregistration.gov.scot/ and if there is no registration found for your company, the membership will be cancelled and the membership fee will be refunded.

      Membership prices include delivery of member information including our magazine Landlord Focus, which will be posted to your account address three times a year.

      Please note that membership fees are exempt from VAT.

       

      Business membership

      • Suitable for professional landlords where more than one staff member will use the SAL member services or where the company is the property owner and the member services will be used by the company staff.
      • Each business membership may have up to six members of staff linked to the membership, all based in one premises.
      • If there are additional offices that deal with lettings in Scotland, these offices are also required to join SAL as a business member, with one membership per office. Our multiple branch membership package provides discounts and savings for these scenarios.
      • Each membership will have one main member representative allocated to oversee the administration of the membership and those members of staff it covers.
      • Multiple memberships can be held for any premises where more than 6 members of staff require to use SAL member services.
      • By applying for business membership, business members agree to abide by the SAL Landlord Code of Practice (which can be found online here).

      Business membership fees

      • Annual membership fees are set by the SAL Board and reviewed annually.
      • Current fees are published on the SAL website here. Business membership costs £450 (paid by card or BACS) or £390 (paid by Direct Debit) per year.
      • We are able to offer a discount for memberships paid by Direct Debit as this minimises the administration involved with the running of the membership, and therefore minimises our costs, allowing us to pass this saving onto our members.
      • Memberships run for 12 months from the date of joining.

      Membership prices include delivery of member information including our magazine Landlord Focus, which will be posted to your account address three times a year.

      Please note that membership fees are exempt from VAT.

       

      Multiple-branch membership packages

      • Where a company or organisation requires more than one membership, we offer a multiple-branch membership package where each member/office is able to join at a discounted annual rate.
      • The annual fee for our multiple-branch membership is £345 per year, per membership/office, regardless of method of payment. Our multiple-branch packages are available to both letting agent and business members.
      • Where more than one office is involved in the management/business of lettings in Scotland, all are required to become SAL members and therefore allow the business to market itself as a member agent or member landlord with SAL.
      • Larger companies may also apply for our multiple-branch membership package where they have more than six members of staff requiring access to SAL membership benefits.

       

      Events and training course fees

      • Events and training courses cost in the range of £0 – £300 per attendee. Prices may be different for members and non-members, and VAT may be payable on any events and/or training courses available.
      • Prices are shown for SAL events on the SAL events page here.

       

      1. Membership application process
      • Applications must be submitted via SAL’s official membership form (online) or over the phone by speaking with one of SAL’s membership and events team.
      • New and renewing membership applications are subject to our membership approval process which will happen during office hours. Please assume your membership has been approved unless you hear to the contrary within fifteen working days.
      • Our approval process includes checking our records for any issue that could prevent any person or corporate entity from being a member of the association. This may include a check on any history of upheld complaints or any outstanding compliance issues which require to be addressed before application. It may also include checking that the correct membership package has been purchased for the type of business the member operates.
      • The final stage of the application process involves a recommendation for new and renewing members to be formally approved by the SAL board of directors, confirming their status as an active member within the SAL membership register. This referral to directors will be carried out at the next available board of directors meeting.
      • SAL reserves the right to request further information before approving an application.
      • Directors reserve the right to refuse any application without giving a reason. In such an event, your payment will be refunded in full.

       

      1. Member rights and benefits

      We are continually looking at ways of improving the membership benefits and services our members receive, and therefore the list of individual benefits may be updated from time to time.

      Here are some of our current membership benefits, all-inclusive in your SAL membership fee: 

      Members have access to member-only resources online – please see SAL’s terms and conditions online here for how members may use and store member-only information, documents and factsheets.

       

      1. Member responsibilities

      By applying to join the Scottish Association of Landlords, and on annual membership renewal, all SAL members agree to abide by all legal requirements for letting in Scotland, including landlord and letting agent registration requirements.

      Please see below for the individual landlord and letting agent standards members abide by.

      • Landlord standards

      SAL Landlord SAL Code of Practice. You can also view the SAL Code of Practice through the SAL website – www.scottishlandlords.com

      • Letting agent standards

      SAL letting agent members must be registered letting agents and comply with the Letting Agent Code of Practice. You can also view the Letting Agent Code of Practice through the SAL website – www.scottishlandlords.com

      Members must keep membership and contact information up to date, pay membership fees on time and represent the association and the sector in a professional manner.

      Username and passwords – during the registration process you will be invited to choose your own username and password which will be unique to you. You are responsible for keeping your username and password confidential and for ensuring that they are not used by any other person.

       

      1. Cancellation policy

        When joining SAL you have a short ‘cooling off period’ in which you can cancel your membership. The opportunity to cancel finishes after 14 days or directly after accessing membership benefits online or by telephone – whichever occurs soonest.

      SAL reserves the right to charge for membership services provided at your request (e.g. access to our membership helpline service by telephone and/or email) during the cancellation period.

      In the case of purchase of the “Get Registered Pack” (see section 8) the pack is non-refundable if any service included in the pack is used.

      If you wish to cancel your membership or purchase of the “Get Registered Pack” you are required to confirm the following details in writing, including by email, to our office:

      Name / membership number / date you wish the membership or purchase to be cancelled / reason for cancellation (optional).

      SAL reserves the right to suspend or terminate a membership if:

      • A member is found to have breached SAL’s Code of Practice/Letting Agent Code of Practice
      • A member’s actions bring SAL or the private rented sector into disrepute.

       

      1. Other products/services – “Get Registered Pack”

      Suitable for professionals working towards becoming a qualified letting agent in Scotland, to provide dedicated information and support for your registration journey.

      • Details of the “Get Registered Pack” can be found online here.
      • The price is £495 + VAT paid by card. There is no direct debit discount available for this product.
      • In purchasing the “Get Registered Pack”, please be aware if any of the included services are used, the cooling off period does not apply and there will be no refund of any part of the fee. The “Get Registered Pack” does not include any membership of the Scottish Association of Landlords.

      The “Get Registered Pack” includes:

      • An initial call with our specialist advisers, providing guidance to the next steps for your business prior to applying for registration.
      • An emailed checklist covering the steps needed for registration.
      • Access to approved procedure documents as required for compliance with the letting agent code of practice.
      • Contact details of suppliers of useful insurance and payment processing solutions.
      • A second advice call after your registration application has been made, to answer any subsequent questions you may have when the government begins to process your application.
      • Discount on the LETWELL programme for one person. LETWELL is the professional development programme delivered via a partnership between Landlord Accreditation Scotland (LAS) and the CIH Housing Academy (CIH) and takes full account of the Scottish Government’s regulation of letting agents and associated training requirements for specific staff within agencies.
      • £50 off the first year of SAL letting agent membership.

       

      1. Complaints procedure

        SAL is committed to providing high-quality customer services. We value complaints and use information from them to help us improve our services.

      If something goes wrong or you are dissatisfied with our services, please tell us.

      • What is a complaint?
        We regard a complaint as any expression of dissatisfaction about our action or lack of action, or about the standard of service provided by us or on our behalf.

      What can I complain about?

      • You can complain about things like:
        • delays in responding to your enquiries and requests
        • failure to provide a service
        • our standard of service
        • treatment by or attitude of a member of staff

      How do I complain?

      • You can complain by phone, in writing, or by email. When complaining, tell us:
        • your full name and address
        • as much as you can about the complaint
        • what has gone wrong
        • how you want us to resolve the matter

      What happens when I have complained?

      • We will always tell you who is dealing with your complaint. Our complaints procedure has two stages:

      Stage 1 – frontline resolution
      We aim to resolve complaints quickly and close to where we provided the service. This could mean an on-the-spot apology and explanation if something has clearly gone wrong, and immediate action to resolve the problem.

      We will give you our decision at stage 1 in five working days or less, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

      If we can’t resolve your complaint at this stage, we will explain why. If you are still dissatisfied you can ask for your complaint to be investigated further through stage 2. You may choose to do this immediately or some time after you get our initial response. We can help you with making this request.

      Stage 2 – investigation
      Stage 2 deals with complaints that have not been resolved at stage 1 and those that are complex and require detailed investigation.

      When using stage 2 we will:

      • acknowledge receipt of your complaint within three working days
      • where appropriate, discuss your complaint with you to understand why you remain dissatisfied and what outcome you are looking for
      • give you a full response to the complaint as soon as possible and within 20 working days.

      If our investigation will take longer than 20 working days, we will tell you. We will agree revised time limits with you and keep you updated on progress.

       

      10. How information about you is shared

      We will send you information about our services and events, as well as those of selected third parties, by post, telephone and email. If you do not wish to receive this information in these formats then you can update your requirements by emailing info@scottishlandlords.com or calling 0131 564 0100 to advise us of your preferences. You can choose how you wish to receive information and whether you agree to your information being shared with other companies so that they may send you information about relevant products and services, by post, telephone and email.

      If you need any further information please write to us at SAL, Hopetoun Gate, 8b McDonald Road, Edinburgh EH7 4LZ or by email to info@scottishlandlords.com

      SAL’s privacy policy can be found here on our website www.scottishlandlords.com

       

      1. Contact information for all enquiries:

      Scottish Association of Landlords
      Hopetoun Gate
      8b McDonald Road
      Edinburgh
      EH7 4LZ

      Email: info@scottishlandlords.com
      Phone: 0131 564 0100
      Website: www.scottishlandlords.com

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