§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the qualifications required of an applicant for appointment as a rent officer; and whether such a person may hold a financial interest in residential property.
§ Mr. StanleyThere are no specific qualifications for the post of rent officer, but applicants are expected to possess judgment, common sense, tact and the ability to form an impartial view. Applicants for more senior posts must have relevant experience, and will often have passed the examinations of the Institute of Rent Officers. Having a financial interest in residential property does not constitute an automatic bar to appointment as rent officer, but serving rent officers are subject to a code of conduct designed to avoid any conflict between their statutory duties and any private interests they may have.