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The UK's Largest Independent Property Network

Since 2006, The Landlord Association has stood as the independent voice for property owners across the United Kingdom. From our origins as Landlord Expert founded by Daniel J. Francis in 2006, to the transformation into today's 86,000+ member organization, we've spent nearly 20 years building the infrastructure that protects your rights, your property, and your peace of mind.

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Understanding Our Structure

We frequently receive questions about how The Landlord Association operates as a membership organization rather than a traditional limited company. This page provides complete transparency about our legal structure, governance, and 20-year operational history.

What is a Membership Association?

The Landlord Association (TLA) is structured as a not-for-profit membership organization established under English law. This is a legitimate and widely used organizational structure in the UK, similar to professional bodies like the Law Society, trade associations, and member-led organizations across various sectors.

Unlike a limited company that exists primarily to generate profit for shareholders, TLA exists to serve its members. All revenue generated through membership fees and services is reinvested directly into improving member benefits, legal resources, support infrastructure, and advocacy initiatives.

Key Characteristics of Our Structure:

  • Member-focused governance with accountability to our 86,000+ UK members (landlords, tenants, estate agents, and property management firms)
  • No external shareholders extracting profit from member fees
  • All surplus revenue reinvested into member services and benefits
  • Independent operation with no government affiliation or political agenda
  • Clear separation of commercial activities through our subsidiary structure

How We Handle Commercial Activities

To maintain operational clarity and ring-fence commercial liability, TLA operates through a dual structure involving a wholly-controlled commercial subsidiary:

TLA Commercial Partnerships Limited

Company Number: 16844398
Incorporated: England and Wales
Purpose: Manages all commercial partnerships, sponsorship arrangements, and revenue-generating activities on behalf of TLA

View on Companies House →

How This Benefits Our Members:

  • Financial Transparency: 100% of gross commercial revenue (minus direct costs) transfers to TLA monthly
  • Legal Protection: Commercial liability is ring-fenced, protecting core member operations
  • Professional Standards: Formal agreements ensure all commercial activities align with member interests
  • Regulatory Compliance: Clean separation allows us to meet FCA requirements for financial service partnerships

Trust Advisor & Review Platform Presence

Some prospective partners and members have noted that TLA does not appear on platforms like Trustpilot, Feefo, or Reviews.io. This is an intentional strategic decision, not an oversight or deficiency.

Why We've Chosen This Approach:

  • Membership Model vs Consumer Service: Traditional review platforms are designed for transactional consumer services. As a membership organization serving 86,000+ landlords, tenants, estate agents, and property management firms through ongoing relationships, our quality metrics are measured through member retention, renewal rates, and direct member feedback rather than point-of-sale reviews.
  • Professional Sector Standards: Like the Law Society, British Medical Association, or Institute of Chartered Accountants, professional membership bodies typically rely on institutional reputation, regulatory compliance, and member testimonials rather than consumer review platforms.
  • Data Integrity Concerns: Public review platforms can be manipulated by competitors, disgruntled non-members, or politically motivated actors. Given the contentious nature of landlord-tenant relations, we've observed coordinated negative review campaigns against similar organizations that don't reflect actual member experiences.
  • Member Privacy Protection: Many of our members handle sensitive legal disputes and prefer discretion. Requiring public reviews would compromise this confidentiality.

How We Demonstrate Credibility Instead:

  • 20-Year Operational History: Continuous operation since 2006 with archived evidence via Wayback Machine
  • Member Growth Trajectory: From 0 to 86,000+ members demonstrates sustained value delivery
  • Market Research Publications: Our annual landlord insurance and maintenance reports are cited by industry publications
  • Partnership Agreements: Established commercial relationships with major insurers and service providers who conduct their own due diligence
  • Legal Documentation: Comprehensive formal agreements (available below) that would be scrutinized by partners' legal teams
  • Regulatory Compliance: FCA-compliant partnership structures for financial services
  • Direct Member Surveys: We conduct regular satisfaction surveys (71% dissatisfaction with current insurers, for example) that partners can verify

For Prospective Partners: We welcome the opportunity to provide references from existing commercial partners, detailed member analytics, and independent verification of our operational history. Our transparency extends to allowing partners to conduct their own member satisfaction surveys before finalizing agreements.

Two Decades of Service: 2006-2026

Verified Historical Evidence

The Landlord Association's 20-year operational history is independently verifiable through the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, which captured 370 snapshots of our original platform, landlordexpert.co.uk, between October 2006 and December 2020.

Landlord Expert 2006 - Original TLA Platform

2006: The Beginning - Landlord Expert homepage showing "Home of The Landlord Association"

Landlord Expert 2019 - Mature TLA Platform

2019: Established Platform - "78,000 members and growing" shown on archived site

Click any screenshot to view full size. These archived snapshots document our continuous operation from 2006 onwards, independently verified through the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine.

These archived snapshots show our historical branding as "Home of The Landlord Association - 78,000 members and growing" and document our continuous service to UK landlords since 2006. This independent third-party verification eliminates any doubt about our operational longevity and commitment to the sector.

Understanding Our Membership Evolution: From 78,000 to 86,000+

Partners reviewing our historical records may notice the 2019 archive shows 78,000 members right at the point of our organizational transformation. Our current 86,000+ membership represents sustained growth over six years of operating as a professional paid membership organization, validating our value proposition and service delivery model.

The Landlord Expert Era (2006-2019):
Founded by Daniel J. Francis, landlordexpert.co.uk functioned primarily as a community forum, news publication, and free resource library. Membership was free and open, attracting a broad base of landlords, property professionals, and individuals casually interested in the rental sector. By 2019, this model had grown to 78,000 registered members. While this created valuable community engagement, it included many passive members who accessed occasional content without deeper participation.

The Professional Transformation (2019):
Scott Woodman-Evans launched the modern Landlord Association at landlordassociation.org.uk, transitioning from a free-access model to an annual paid membership structure. This fundamental shift was designed to fund comprehensive legal services, 24-hour support infrastructure, SOS packages, and professional-grade dispute resolution tools that simply couldn't be sustained through advertising revenue alone.

All 78,000 legacy members were invited to continue their membership under the new professional structure. As expected with any transition from free to paid services, a natural consolidation occurred. Members who were casually browsing forums or accessing occasional news articles chose not to convert, while those who genuinely relied on legal resources and support infrastructure recognized the value proposition and maintained their membership.

Six Years of Validated Growth (2019-2025):
The current 86,000+ membership represents paying, actively engaged members who have made a conscious financial commitment to TLA's services. This is fundamentally different from free forum registrations, and the sustained growth from 2019 to 2025 demonstrates genuine market validation. These members:

  • Pay annual membership fees, demonstrating tangible value recognition
  • Actively utilize legal services, SOS packages, and support resources
  • Engage with commercial partnerships and member benefits
  • Represent genuine market influence for partnership opportunities
  • Provide reliable revenue streams that fund operational improvements
  • Have remained loyal through six years, proving service quality and value delivery

Moreover, we've achieved consistent year-over-year growth from the initial conversion base. After the natural consolidation during the free-to-paid transition, TLA has steadily added thousands of new paying members who joined specifically for the professional services and comprehensive support infrastructure that the paid model enables. This trajectory positions us to exceed 120,000 members by 2027.

For Commercial Partners: Six years of operating as a paid membership organization provides a proven track record that new transitions cannot offer. Our 86,000+ paying members represent qualified, committed stakeholders with demonstrated purchasing power and genuine engagement. They've validated our services with their wallets year after year, and they trust our recommendations because we've consistently delivered value that justifies their ongoing investment. This sustained loyalty is significantly more valuable for partnership ROI than 200,000 free forum registrations would be.

2006 - Foundation

The Landlord Association was established as landlordexpert.co.uk by founding member Daniel J. Francis. Born from costly personal legal disputes that exposed systemic gaps in landlord support infrastructure, what began as a forum for sharing legal resources evolved into a structured platform serving the UK's growing private rental sector.

2008 - First 1,000 Members

Reached our first major milestone with 1,000 registered landlord members. Launched comprehensive document library including tenancy agreements, Section 21 notices, and compliance checklists. Established reputation as the go-to resource for legally compliant landlord documentation.

2012 - Digital Infrastructure Overhaul

Migrated to professional WordPress platform with member portal functionality. Introduced 24-hour legal helpline and emergency SOS support packages. Member base exceeded 10,000 landlords across England, Scotland, and Wales.

2015 - 25,000 Members Reached

Surpassed 25,000 active members. Expanded service portfolio to include court representation, tenancy deposit disputes, and compliance audits. Began publishing annual market research reports that became industry reference materials.

2019 - Transformation to landlordassociation.org.uk

Scott Woodman-Evans launched and developed The Landlord Association in its modern form, transitioning from landlordexpert.co.uk to landlordassociation.org.uk. This strategic rebrand marked the shift from free forum model to professional paid membership organization, enabling comprehensive legal services, 24-hour support infrastructure, and member-focused advocacy. Scott assembled a dedicated team of property experts to deliver professional-grade services that justified annual membership investment.

2021 - 50,000 Members & Tenant Support Added

Crossed the 50,000-member threshold. Launched dedicated tenant membership tier to promote fairness and balanced advocacy. Provided support for over 100,000 disputes cumulatively since inception.

2023 - Commercial Subsidiary Established

Incorporated TLA Commercial Partnerships Limited (Company No. 16844398) to handle commercial operations, partnership agreements, and sponsorship arrangements. Formalized legal separation between member services and commercial activities. Scott's leadership team expanded to 29 property experts delivering comprehensive member support across legal, compliance, and advisory services.

2024 - AI-Powered Services Launched

Pioneered integration of AI-assisted legal document generation, dispute analysis tools, and automated compliance checking. Revolutionary technology reduced average case preparation time from 6 hours to 45 minutes while maintaining legal precision. Member satisfaction ratings exceeded 4.8/5.0, validating the investment in cutting-edge technology to enhance human expertise rather than replace it.

2025-2027 - Scaling for National Impact

With 86,000+ active members and a dedicated team of 29 property experts, TLA is positioned for significant expansion. Strategic growth targets include surpassing 120,000 members by 2027 while scaling the team to 50+ association professionals. This expansion will drive compliance understanding, promote fairness across the rental sector, and establish TLA as the definitive authority for UK landlord and tenant legal services. Flagship insurance partnerships, expanded research division, and comprehensive training academy development are underway.

Legal Documentation Library

Complete transparency through formal legal agreements governing TLA's structure, operations, and commercial relationships. These documents are available for review by prospective partners, members, and regulatory authorities.

📋 Inter-Company Service Agreement

Effective Date: 9th November 2025 | Click to expand

Agreement Overview

This formal agreement establishes the service relationship between The Landlord Association (not-for-profit membership organization) and TLA Commercial Partnerships Limited (Company No. 16844398). It defines how commercial activities are managed separately while ensuring all revenue benefits TLA's member services.

Key Provisions:

  • TLA provides brand access, member engagement, and core services
  • Commercial Entity manages partnership agreements and revenue-generating activities
  • 100% of gross revenue (minus direct costs) transfers to TLA monthly
  • Clear liability ring-fencing to protect member operations
  • Comprehensive intellectual property licensing terms
Download Legal Documents Package (ZIP) →

⚖️ Statutory Declaration of Relationship

Statutory Declarations Act 1835 | Click to expand

Declaration Overview

A formal statutory declaration made by Scott Evans (Chairman and Co-Founder) under the Statutory Declarations Act 1835, confirming his roles, organizational structure, and the legitimate relationship between TLA and its commercial subsidiary. This legally binding document provides independent verification of TLA's governance and operational integrity.

Declaration Contents:

  • Identity and authority verification of Scott Evans
  • Organizational background and establishment history
  • Confirmation of 86,000+ member base and service scope
  • Details of subsidiary relationship and commercial structure
  • Revenue flow mechanisms and financial transparency commitments
  • Regulatory compliance and governance standards
Download Legal Documents Package (ZIP) →

™️ Trademark and Brand Licence Agreement

Effective Date: 9th November 2025 | Click to expand

Agreement Overview

This agreement governs how TLA licenses its intellectual property assets (trademarks, logos, domain names, brand guidelines) to TLA Commercial Partnerships Limited for use in commercial activities. It ensures brand protection while enabling commercial operations that benefit members.

Licensed Assets Include:

  • The Landlord Association trademark and TLA acronym
  • All logos, symbols, and graphical brand elements
  • Domain names including landlordassociation.org.uk
  • Social media accounts and digital brand presence
  • Design elements, color schemes, and brand guidelines
  • Marketing materials and member communication templates

The agreement includes strict quality control provisions, usage restrictions, and protections to ensure brand integrity is maintained across all commercial activities.

Download Legal Documents Package (ZIP) →

Our Mission

We empower UK landlords and tenants with AI-powered legal tools, human-first support, and bulletproof documentation. Our mission is to eliminate confusion, slash legal costs, and restore trust in the rental sector through technology-enabled access to professional-grade legal services.

Our Vision

To become the recognized standard for landlord legal services in the UK, where property disputes are resolved efficiently, knowledge replaces conflict, and both landlords and tenants have equal access to professional support that ensures fairness in every tenancy.

Our Core Values

  • Transparency: We operate with complete openness about our structure, finances, and governance. Our legal documentation is publicly available for scrutiny.
  • Equality: We serve both landlords and tenants because fairness requires supporting both sides of the rental relationship with equal professionalism.
  • Innovation: We leverage AI and technology not to replace human judgment, but to make professional legal support accessible and affordable for everyone.
  • Integrity: We're member-focused, not profit-driven. Every commercial decision is evaluated against one question: does this benefit our members?
  • Longevity: Twenty years of continuous operation demonstrates our commitment to being here for the long term, not chasing short-term gains.

Information for Prospective Partners

We understand that establishing commercial partnerships requires thorough due diligence. TLA welcomes scrutiny and provides comprehensive verification materials to support your evaluation process.

What We Provide for Due Diligence:

  • Member Analytics: Detailed demographic data, engagement metrics, and satisfaction survey results
  • Financial Transparency: Revenue flow documentation showing how commercial income benefits members
  • Legal Documentation: All formal agreements governing our structure and operations (available above)
  • Historical Verification: Independent third-party evidence of our 20-year operational history
  • Reference Contacts: Existing commercial partners willing to discuss their experience working with TLA
  • Regulatory Compliance: FCA-compliant partnership structures and documentation
  • Independent Surveys: Permission for partners to conduct their own member satisfaction surveys

Why Partners Choose TLA:

  • Engaged Audience: 86,000+ active members across landlords, tenants, estate agents, and property management firms who trust TLA recommendations
  • Professional Leadership: Scott Woodman-Evans leads a dedicated team of 29 property experts delivering comprehensive support, with expansion to 50+ team members planned by 2027
  • Data-Driven Insights: Comprehensive market research that identifies member needs and dissatisfaction points
  • Professional Standards: Formal agreements and quality control measures protect partner reputations
  • Member Advocacy: We prioritize member value over commission rates, creating sustainable partnerships
  • Proven Track Record: Nearly 20 years of operation with six years as a successful paid membership model demonstrates stability and reliability

Nearly Two Decades Strong. Ready for Your Story.

Whether you're a landlord seeking protection, a tenant needing advocacy, an estate agent requiring compliance support, or a partner exploring opportunities, TLA's nearly 20-year track record speaks for itself. Join the 86,000+ members who've made us the UK's most trusted landlord legal resource, supported by a team of 29 property experts committed to fairness and excellence.

Join TLA Today

Get In Touch

Do not hesitate to reach out. Just fill in the contact form here and we'll be sure to reply as fast as possible.

🏢 Head Office

31 Larcombe Road,
Saint Austell,
Cornwall,
United Kingdom
PL25 3EZ
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