The PRS Ombudsman scheme does not launch on 1 May 2026. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 provides the legal framework; the scheme itself will launch following appointment of the Ombudsman and commencement of the relevant provisions — expected around 2028. This guide explains what the law requires, the expected timeline, and how to prepare.
Part 4 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 creates a mandatory Private Rented Sector Ombudsman for England. Every private landlord who lets residential property in England will be required to join the scheme once it launches. The Ombudsman will provide tenants with a free, independent route to resolve complaints about landlords — with binding decisions and the power to award compensation.
Background: why the PRS Ombudsman is being created
Before the Renters' Rights Act 2025, there was no sector-wide complaints body for private landlords in England. Tenants with unresolved complaints had limited options: court proceedings (costly and slow), local authority intervention (reactive and resource-constrained), or informal mediation. The PRS Ombudsman fills this gap by providing a fast, free, and binding route for tenants — and a structured complaints handling obligation for landlords.
- Letting agents have been required to belong to a redress scheme since 2014 — the new Ombudsman extends this principle to landlords
- The scheme is modelled partly on the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Housing Ombudsman (which covers social landlords)
- All private landlords in England — self-managing and agent-managed — will be required to join
- Agent-managed landlords: the expectation is that the agent's redress scheme handles agent-related complaints, and the PRS Ombudsman handles landlord-related complaints. Details are subject to secondary legislation
What the scheme will cover
The Act empowers the Ombudsman to investigate and determine complaints where a tenant believes their landlord has failed in an obligation arising from the tenancy. Expected categories include:
- Repairs and maintenance: failure to carry out repairs within a reasonable time, Awaab's Law breaches, failure to maintain appliances
- Documentation: failure to provide gas safety certificates, EPCs, EICRs, Renters' Rights Act Information Sheets, How to Rent guides, and other prescribed documents
- Deposit handling: failure to protect, failure to return within the deadline, disputed deductions
- Harassment and illegal eviction: unlawful interference with quiet enjoyment, threats, changing locks
- Anti-discrimination: unlawful refusals on grounds of benefits receipt, family status, or protected characteristics
- Rent and charges: unlawful charges, prohibited payments under the Tenant Fees Act 2019
- Pet requests: unreasonable refusals of pet requests under the Renters' Rights Act 2025
What the Ombudsman can order
The PRS Ombudsman will have the power to make binding decisions including:
- Financial compensation awards to the tenant
- Orders requiring the landlord to take specific remedial action (e.g. carry out repairs, provide outstanding documents)
- Orders requiring the landlord to apologise
- Orders requiring the landlord to change their practices or policies
- Adverse findings recorded on the Private Landlord Database
Landlords who fail to comply with a binding Ombudsman decision will face further enforcement action. Details of non-compliant landlords are expected to be published and may be shared with local housing authorities — relevant to HMO licence fitness assessments.
Timeline and what landlords need to do now
The Ombudsman will not launch on 1 May 2026. Phase 1 of the Renters' Rights Act commences on 1 May 2026 and focuses on the tenancy reform, possession changes, and Information Sheet obligations. The PRS Ombudsman requires a separate commencement order. The current government timetable points to a launch around 2028.
- Now: Set up a written complaints procedure for your tenancy management. When the Ombudsman launches, tenants will be required to exhaust your internal complaints process before bringing a complaint. Having a documented process demonstrates good faith and may resolve complaints without escalation
- Now: Register for the Private Landlord Database when your area goes live. The Ombudsman and the Database are linked — membership of the scheme may be verified against Database registration
- Before launch: Build a property file for each tenancy — all prescribed documents, repairs log, correspondence, deposit protection evidence. An organised landlord is a better-defended landlord
- On launch: Register with the PRS Ombudsman scheme and pay the levy. This will almost certainly be done online via a government portal. Details of registration and fees will be confirmed closer to launch
- On launch: Notify your tenants of the Ombudsman scheme as required by the commencement provisions — exact requirements to be confirmed by secondary legislation
The PRS Ombudsman and the Private Landlord Database
The Private Landlord Database (property portal) required by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and the PRS Ombudsman are distinct but connected obligations. Both are expected to be integrated into a single government landlord registration system. Adverse Ombudsman findings are likely to be noted on the Database record and potentially visible to prospective tenants, local authorities, and mortgage lenders.
If your property is managed by a letting agent, the agent should already belong to a redress scheme (Property Redress Scheme or The Property Ombudsman). When the PRS Ombudsman launches, you will need to register in your own name as the landlord. The agent's redress scheme covers agent conduct; the PRS Ombudsman covers your conduct as the property owner. You will pay both levies.
How to prepare a complaints procedure today
You do not need to wait until the Ombudsman launches to have a complaints procedure. A simple written procedure now will protect you against Ombudsman referrals later and demonstrates to local authorities that you manage your properties professionally.
- Set out how a tenant can make a complaint — in writing to a named contact address or email
- Commit to acknowledging complaints within 5 working days
- Commit to investigating and responding fully within 28 days (sooner for urgent repairs)
- Set out what happens if the tenant is unhappy with the response
- Include the complaints procedure in your new tenancy welcome pack — attach it to the Periodic Assured Tenancy Agreement
- Log every complaint, your response, and the outcome in your tenancy file