All 12,400 letting agents currently registered with the Property Ombudsman and who follow TPO’s lettings code of practice will now be able to use the Trading Standards Institute’s logo.

TPO’s lettings code has been given the green light by the Consumer Codes Approval Board. TPO’s sales code was approved last year.

TPO letting agents will appear as approved traders on the Trading Standards’ Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS) website directory.

CCAS is distinct from other trader approved schemes in that individual traders cannot sign up to it. The only way a trader can display the TSI-approved code logo is through membership of an organisation whose code of practice has passed a stringent two-stage process to gain approval.

The high standards of the approved codes are maintained by annual onsite audits by TSI-appointed trading standards professionals.

Agents used to be able to display the Office of Fair Trading logo, but in April 2013 the OFT was abolished and the Trading Standards Institute made its successor.

TPO is the largest organisation to date to receive the Trading Standards Institute’s CCAS approval.

Its lettings code of practice offers guidance on all aspects of property and consumer law, while also outlining industry best practice, covering topics including marketing and advertising, viewings, offers, rent collection, tenancy agreements, deposits and termination of a tenancy.