British Landlords Association – Terms of Service
Introduction
Welcome to thebla.co.uk Limited, trading as The British Landlords Association (“The BLA”, “we”, “us”, or “our”).
Our registered office is: 1st Floor Front Offices, Nightingale House, 1-3 Brighton Road, Crawley, United Kingdom, RH10 6AE. Our Companies House registration number is: 11017663. Our VAT number is: 523 9031 111.
We are a UK national landlords association representing and supporting commercial and residential landlords throughout England, Scotland, and Wales. We provide access to landlord products, services, downloadable documents, and a dedicated members-only legal advice line.
By accessing or using any of our services, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service (“Terms”), as well as any applicable guidelines or rules relevant to the specific service or product you use. These Terms apply to all users, whether members or non-members.
IMPORTANT: Your attention is particularly drawn to clauses concerning disclaimers, user responsibility, and third-party services.
1. Description of Services
We provide online and offline services, including access to landlord documents, legal information, advice lines, and other resources. Unless otherwise specified, any new features or enhancements will be governed by these Terms.
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Membership is chargeable unless otherwise stated. Free memberships offered previously will remain valid for the term agreed at the time of joining.
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Services are only available for properties located in England, Wales, and Scotland.
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We accept no liability for delays, deletions, or failures in communication or document delivery caused by technical issues.
2. Copyright and Trademarks
All content, logos, names, and materials provided by The BLA are protected by intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, adapt, distribute, or republish our content for any commercial purpose without prior written consent.
3. User Registration and Account Security
By registering, you agree to provide accurate and up-to-date information. Failure to do so may result in suspension or termination of your account.
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You are responsible for safeguarding your account login and for all activity under your account.
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All communication from The BLA, including contractual notices, may be delivered electronically.
4. Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability
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Services are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. We make no warranties, express or implied.
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We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation of our website or services.
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We are not liable for any loss, whether direct or indirect, arising from the use of our services or website. This includes but is not limited to, loss of business, profit, data, or goodwill.
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This does not limit our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or for fraud.
5. User Responsibilities
Our services provide general guidance only. We are not aware of your specific property or legal circumstances.
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You must obtain independent professional advice tailored to your situation.
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Compliance with local authority and statutory regulations remains your responsibility.
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Do not rely solely on documents or advice supplied by The BLA without appropriate legal consultation.
6. Downloadable Documents
Documents are delivered to the email address provided at purchase and are typically sent within 10 working days.
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We are not liable for technical issues or if the document requested is no longer available.
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If you do not receive documents within 10 days, notify us in writing within 21 days.
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We are not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for purpose of any downloadable document.
7. User Conduct
You are responsible for any content or information you provide. Content must not be offensive, defamatory, or infringe intellectual property rights.
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We reserve the right to remove any content or terminate your account for breaches of these Terms.
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All use of our site and content must comply with applicable law and regulations, including data protection laws.
8. Content Ownership and Use
All content remains the property of The BLA or its licensors. You may not republish or redistribute content except for personal or internal business use related to property management.
9. Public Submissions
By submitting content to our website, you grant The BLA an irrevocable, worldwide licence to use, reproduce, and distribute such content.
10. Changes to Service
We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of our services at any time. We are not liable for any such changes.
11. Termination
We reserve the right to terminate your access to our services without notice if we believe you have breached these Terms.
12. Intellectual Property
All software and content associated with our services are protected by law. Unauthorised use is strictly prohibited.
13. Privacy Policy
Use of our services is subject to our Privacy Policy, which complies with UK Data Protection and Electronic Communications legislation.
14. Changes to Terms
We may revise these Terms at any time. Continued use of our website constitutes your acceptance of any updated Terms.
15. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
The laws of England and Wales govern these Terms, and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
16. Severability
If any part of these Terms is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining sections shall remain in full force.
17. Conflicts with Other Agreements
If these Terms conflict with any other agreement between you and us, the most recent written agreement shall prevail.
18. Events Beyond Our Control
We are not liable for failure to perform any obligation due to events beyond our reasonable control.
19. Third-Party Rights
These Terms do not confer any rights to third parties under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.
20. Entire Agreement
These Terms, alongside our posted guidelines, pricing, and Privacy Policy, form the entire agreement between you and The BLA.
21. Indemnity
You agree to indemnify us against all claims and liabilities arising out of your breach of these Terms or your use of our services.
22. Third-Party Providers and Introducer Services
Where we introduce you to a third-party provider, your agreement is with them. We act as introducers only and disclaim all liability for the third party’s services, actions, or failures.
23. Landlord Advice Line
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Advice is general and based solely on the verbal information you provide.
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Helpline staff are not solicitors and cannot review documentation.
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Advice is only available for residential tenancies in England and Wales.
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Calls are recorded for training and quality assurance.
24. Credit and Tenant Checks
When using third-party services via The BLA (e.g., tenant vetting or credit checks):
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You must comply with data protection legislation and obtain consent from the tenant/applicant.
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All use is subject to limitations of liability and indemnity clauses.
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You may not resell, copy, or share data.
25. Membership Cancellations, Services Used and Refunds
25.1 Statutory cancellation rights
Where you join the British Landlords Association (“BLA”) as a consumer and the membership contract is concluded online, by telephone or otherwise at a distance, you may have a statutory right to cancel your membership within 14 days of entering into the contract under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
Nothing in these Terms & Conditions excludes or restricts any statutory rights which cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.
25.2 Membership services are available from commencement
Unless otherwise stated, BLA membership commences when the membership is activated and membership services are made available to the member.
Membership provides access to a range of services and benefits, which may include landlord and legal advice, telephone and email advice, document and notice reviews, templates, forms, guides, training materials, courses and other membership resources.
25.3 Member requests for services during the cancellation period
A member is not required to use any advisory or other individually supplied membership service during the 14-day cancellation period.
However, where a member actively contacts the BLA and asks us to provide legal or landlord advice, review documents, consider an enquiry or otherwise provide a membership service before expiry of the 14-day cancellation period, the BLA will treat that communication as the member’s request for the particular service requested to commence and be supplied without waiting for the cancellation period to expire, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
This may include a request made by telephone, email, online enquiry, membership portal or any other communication method accepted by the BLA.
25.4 Effect of cancellation after services have been requested or used
Where a member exercises a statutory right to cancel and the BLA is legally entitled to charge for services supplied before cancellation, the BLA may deduct from any refund due the reasonable and proportionate value of the membership services already supplied up to the time we are informed of the cancellation.
Services which may be taken into account include, without limitation:
- legal or landlord advice provided by telephone, email or other means;
- time spent considering and responding to a member’s legal or landlord enquiry;
- reviewing tenancy agreements, notices, correspondence, court documents or other documents submitted by a member;
- preparing or providing documents, notices, templates or forms;
- documents, templates, guides or other resources downloaded or accessed by the member;
- courses, training materials, webinars or other membership resources accessed by the member; and
- any other individually requested membership service supplied to the member.
The fact that a member subsequently decides to cancel their membership does not mean that a service already requested and supplied has not been provided.
25.5 Legal and landlord advice – applicable rate
For the purpose of calculating the value of legal and landlord advice supplied before cancellation, such services are charged at the BLA’s standard member service rate of £100 per hour.
Time may include the reasonable time spent:
- reading and considering the member’s enquiry;
- reviewing documents or correspondence supplied by the member;
- undertaking research reasonably required to answer the enquiry;
- communicating with the member;
- preparing written advice; and
- providing advice by telephone, email or other means.
Where less than one hour is spent, the charge will be calculated proportionately by reference to the time reasonably spent.
The £100 hourly rate applies for the purpose of determining the value of advisory services supplied and any permissible deduction from a refund. The total deduction will not exceed the membership fee actually paid for the relevant membership period.
25.6 Other membership services
Where a member has requested, accessed, downloaded or used another membership service before cancellation, the BLA may, where permitted by law, take the reasonable and proportionate value of that service into account when calculating any refund.
Any applicable value or charge will be determined reasonably having regard to the nature and extent of the service actually supplied and any price or method of calculation disclosed to the member before the contract was entered into.
The BLA will not impose a deduction which exceeds the amount lawfully recoverable under applicable consumer legislation.
25.7 Calculation of any refund
Where the BLA is legally entitled to make a deduction for services supplied, any refund will be calculated by deducting the reasonable and proportionate amount payable for those services from the membership fee paid.
Accordingly:
Membership fee paid – lawful and proportionate amount payable for services already supplied = refund due.
Where the amount lawfully payable for services already supplied equals the membership fee paid, there will be no balance to refund.
Under no circumstances will deductions made under this section exceed the membership fee actually paid for the relevant membership period.
25.8 Cancellation after the statutory cancellation period
After expiry of any applicable statutory cancellation period, a member may request cancellation of their membership in accordance with these Terms & Conditions.
Unless required by law, cancellation after expiry of the applicable statutory cancellation period does not create an automatic entitlement to a full or partial refund of the membership fee merely because the member no longer wishes to use the membership.
Where applicable, the member may instead allow the membership to continue until the end of the membership period and request that it is not renewed.
25.9 Complaints about services
A request for cancellation or refund is separate from a complaint concerning the standard of a service provided.
Nothing in this section excludes or restricts any remedy which a consumer may have under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 where a service has not been performed with reasonable care and skill or where another statutory remedy applies.
A member’s subsequent disagreement with, change of mind about, or decision not to follow advice provided does not, of itself, establish that the service was not supplied or that a refund is due.
25.10 Statutory rights preserved
Nothing in this section is intended to exclude, restrict or modify any consumer right which cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified, including rights arising under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
For questions, please contact:
📧 [email protected]
Cancellation of membership must be in writing, and an email is acceptable at the above email address.