Property Ombudsman UK 2026 — Landlord Rights When Complaining About a Letting Agent

Which agents must belong to a redress scheme — and which scheme to use

The obligation to belong to an approved redress scheme applies to letting agents who carry out 'lettings agency work' or 'property management work' in England. The two approved schemes are The Property Ombudsman (TPO) and The Property Redress Scheme (PRS):

• Who must be a member: Any person or business that introduces a landlord to a prospective tenant, negotiates tenancy terms, or manages residential property on a landlord's behalf in England must be a member of an approved redress scheme. This covers high street letting agents, online letting agents, and property management companies
• The Property Ombudsman (TPO): TPO is the larger of the two schemes and is used by the majority of UK letting agents. TPO members include most ARLA Propertymark agents, Rightmove-listed agents, and many large property management companies. TPO awards are binding on the agent
• The Property Redress Scheme (PRS): PRS is a smaller but equally approved government scheme. Some agents — particularly smaller and independent ones — choose PRS over TPO. To complain, the landlord must submit to whichever scheme the agent belongs to
• How to check agent membership: Ask the agent directly, or check the TPO website (tpos.co.uk) or PRS website (theprs.co.uk) using the agent search function. An agent is legally required to display their scheme membership prominently on their website, in their office, and on their stationery
• Penalty for non-membership: An agent operating without redress scheme membership commits an offence under the 2014 Order. Local authorities can impose a civil penalty of up to £5,000 per agent (and per individual where the agent is a business). Landlords who discover their agent is not a member should report this to the local authority trading standards or housing team

What landlords can complain about — types of complaints that TPO or PRS investigates

The Ombudsman investigates complaints about the letting agent's conduct in carrying out lettings agency work or property management work. Complaints must relate to a specific act or omission by the agent — not general dissatisfaction with service quality:

• Negligent referencing: Agent failed to carry out proper tenant referencing, leading to a tenant with undisclosed arrears history or false employment references being placed in the property. Evidence required: the agent's referencing report, the actual credit/employment position, and evidence that the agent's procedures were inadequate
• Missing or delayed rent: Agent collected rent from the tenant but failed to forward it to the landlord, or consistently forwarded it late without explanation. This can amount to a breach of the agent's contractual duty and of the TPO Code of Practice
• Compliance failures: Agent failed to arrange mandatory gas safety checks, EICR, or smoke/CO alarm checks; failed to serve the How to Rent guide, EPC, or gas safety record on the tenant; failed to protect the deposit within 30 days. These are both contractual and statutory obligations. The landlord may suffer financial consequences (deposit penalties, possession claim failures) as a result
• Undisclosed or unauthorised fees: Agent charged fees to the landlord that were not disclosed in the management contract, or fees that were prohibited under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 (where the agent attempted to pass those costs to the landlord unlawfully)
• Failure to manage the property: Agent failed to arrange repairs that were reported by the tenant; failed to carry out periodic inspections contracted for in the management agreement; or failed to keep the landlord informed about property condition or tenant conduct

The complaint process — step by step from internal complaint to Ombudsman decision

The complaint process has two stages: the agent's own internal complaints procedure, then the Ombudsman if unresolved. The timing requirements are important:

• Step 1 — formal written complaint to the agent: Write a formal complaint to the agent's designated complaints handler (most agents' terms of business will name a complaints contact). Set out the complaint clearly, the remedy sought, and a deadline for response (typically 14 or 28 days for acknowledgement; 8 weeks for a final response). Keep copies of all correspondence
• Step 2 — wait for the agent's final response: The agent has 8 weeks to investigate and issue a final response. If the agent fails to respond within 8 weeks, the landlord can proceed directly to the Ombudsman without a final response. If the agent issues a final response the landlord is not satisfied with, the landlord has 12 months from that final response to submit to the Ombudsman
• Step 3 — submit to TPO or PRS: Submit the complaint online to the relevant scheme (TPO or PRS depending on which scheme the agent belongs to). Include a clear summary of the complaint, the remedy sought, copies of all correspondence with the agent, and any supporting evidence (invoices, photographs, tenancy documents). The submission is free
• Step 4 — Ombudsman investigation: The Ombudsman investigates the complaint independently. The agent is required to provide a full response and their file of documents. The Ombudsman will consider whether the agent's conduct met the standards required by the relevant Code of Practice (TPO Code or PRS Code). The investigation typically takes 3-6 months for straightforward complaints
• Step 5 — Ombudsman's decision and award: The Ombudsman issues a decision. If the complaint is upheld, the Ombudsman can require the agent to pay the landlord compensation of up to £25,000. The decision is binding on the agent if the landlord accepts it. If the landlord does not accept the decision, they can still pursue the agent through the courts. Agents who refuse to implement the Ombudsman's decision can be expelled from the scheme — which is effectively a prohibition on operating as a letting agent in England

RICS-regulated agents and block management — additional oversight for leasehold properties

For landlords who own leasehold property (flats) and deal with a managing agent appointed by the freeholder or Residents' Management Company, additional oversight frameworks apply beyond the TPO/PRS redress schemes:

• RICS regulation: Many managing agents for leasehold blocks are regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). RICS members are subject to the RICS Service Charge Residential Management Code and the RICS professional conduct rules. Complaints about RICS-regulated agents can be made to RICS as well as to the TPO or PRS
• First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber): For leasehold service charge disputes (including complaints about managing agent's failure to consult on major works, unreasonable service charges, or failure to produce service charge accounts), the leaseholder's primary route is the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) — not the Ombudsman. The FTT can determine the reasonableness of service charges and make management orders
• Property Factors Act 2011 (Scotland): In Scotland, property factors (equivalent of managing agents) are regulated by the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011. The Scottish scheme has its own Code of Conduct for Property Factors and a separate Housing and Property Chamber for disputes
• Checking an agent's credentials before instruction: Before appointing a managing or letting agent, check their TPO or PRS membership, their ARLA Propertymark or RICS membership (where relevant), and whether they have client money protection (CMP) insurance. CMP protects landlord rent money held in the agent's client account if the agent becomes insolvent. CMP is mandatory for all letting agents in England under the Client Money Protection Schemes for Property Agents (Approval and Designation of Schemes) Regulations 2018

Frequently asked questions