Who the National Trading Standards Letting Agency Team (NTSLAT) are, what we do.
Who we are
The National Trading Standards Letting Agency Team (NTSLAT) is run by:
- Bristol City Council: lead enforcement authority for the purposes of the Tenant Fees Act 2019, who oversee the enforcement of lettings agency and property management work in England
- Powys County Council: lead enforcement authority for the purposes of the Estate Agents Act 1979, who is responsible for the regulation of estate agency work in the UK
We're a point of contact for enforcement authorities and industry.
We:
- make the most of the resources of each lead enforcement authority
- complement the enforcement of lettings agency work in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales
Funding for the team is provided by a grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). This is managed by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), on behalf of National Trading Standards.
The funding is ring-fenced by the host lead enforcement authorities for the work of the team.
Oversight of the team is provided via the NTS Estate and Letting Agency Governance group. This includes officers from trading standards authorities and MHCLG officials.
Find more information on National Trading Standards, their work areas and teams.
What we do
We're the lead enforcement authority for the Tenant Fees Act 2019, which only applies in England. Lettings legislation in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales is outside our area of responsibility.
Our area of responsibility includes:
- oversight of how the relevant letting agency legislation is working and is being enforced
- publication of guidance and advice for the public, businesses and enforcement authorities on relevant letting agency and property management work in England
For more information on estate agency enforcement, go to Powys County Council's website.
What we do not do
We do not:
- give specific, individual advice to consumers or businesses
- mediate or arbitrate in individual complaints
- award civil redress
- conduct routine investigations: these are the responsibility of local Trading Standards, Environmental Health or Housing teams. However, in certain circumstances we may investigate cases where a local authority is unable to do so