It’s hard to see how a reputational website would work effectively for landlords, argues Guy Garrard, head of business development at Tiuta
I have to confess that I’m not really that technologically advanced. My online presence is low and my range of internet navigation is somewhat limited, although I obviously won’t be divulging the exact perimeters. Of course I recognise the value and potential pitfalls attached to the internet especially in terms of the platform this can provide for sales, service and reputation.
It’s evident that the power of the internet, or the power of people behind any internet campaigns, can make or break products, services, people and even places. I wonder how many of us now book our holidays online? A good majority no doubt. And how do we choose them? Often via comparison sites. And how do we narrow down these searches? Often by checking on the hotels in question on websites such as Trip Advisor and other related sites. With this in mind it was interesting to read that the consumer watchdog Consumer Focus has called for ‘reputational regulation’ of landlords, via a ratings website.
It argues that reputational regulation has worked well in other sectors with commercial sites, such as eBay or Amazon, displaying consumer reviews and feedback to people have access to a range of information before they make a decision on what to buy. Consumer Focus believes that a similar site based on constructive feedback could help solve the information imbalance and help people seek out more reputable landlords and avoid the bad ones.
This call comes as it publishes a new report, ‘Opening the door’, which argues that one of the biggest issues in the sector is that private renters often know very little about their landlords before signing a tenancy agreement. The watchdog has written to some of the largest letting agents and deposit schemes in England calling on them to explore how online feedback could empower tenants by giving them a better insight into their potential landlords.
However, in response the National Landlords Association (NLA) has rebuffed the idea with David Salusbury, NLA chairman, saying: “While the National Landlords Association recognises the need for accountability in the private rented sector
