Complaints about lettings agents go through the roof ...

There’s been a large increase in the number of complaints registered with The Property Ombudsman - with lettings agents in the eye of the storm.

TPO is one of two official redress schemes; all letting agents must be a member of that one or its rival, the Property Redress Scheme.

In TPO’s annual report, just released, the number of home movers, tenants and landlords complaining about lettings, sales and managing agents exceeded 45,000 in 2022, up from 39,250 the year before.

The 2022 total included some 14,000 complaints by tenants and/or landlords about letting agents; 5,500 buyer and seller issues relating to estate agents; and over 3,000 leaseholder issues about managing agents.

There were also more than 1,500 tenant issues about their landlord where no agent was involved - TPO does not have responsibility for landlord redress directly, but says its office provided these complaining with advice and guidance.

Top causes of lettings disputes were Tenancy management followed by Complaints Handling and then Instructions, terms of business, fees, charges and termination.

TPO also gives an unusual warning in its report when it says: T“The high levels of enquiries and disputes relating to repair and maintenance issues (which comes under tenancy management) underlines the need to raise the standard of private rented housing stock.”

TPO adds that its focus on helping consumers resolve complaints at an early stage has minimised the number of formal investigations. In total in 2022 some 44,492 consumers were provided with advice and guidance.

The organisation says: “A greater emphasis on educating consumers and providing them with advice specific to their individual situation, coupled with changes to the Scheme’s Terms of Reference, saw TPO help more consumers to resolve their issues without the need to complain to their agent or to TPO.”

There was a financial settlement or award granted in 3,206 of cases, with just 33 unpaid awards resulting in the expulsion of 22 agents from the scheme.

Want to comment on this story? Our focus is on providing a platform for you to share your insights and views and we welcome contributions.
If any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.
Please help us by reporting comments you consider to be unduly offensive so we can review and take action if necessary. Thank you.

Eve K Kay
08 August 2023 16:55 PM

I bet it’s heaven in your little world. Ignoring the rules, treating people badly, discriminating, penny pinching, doing everything on a scruffy shoestring. I bet it isn’t heaven for your tenants.

There is a reason why DIY is the poor relation of a professional job. It’s the reason why rules are tightening and eventually everyone will need a licence. Thank God.

Henry Ward
08 August 2023 20:17 PM

That's an unfair generalisation.

My agent have been excellent and their fees are nominal and barely increased in 20 years

They're a small family business established in the 1930's eith a good reputation.

So many issues that Landlords complain about is because they don't give enough attention to their endeavour and treat letting as just a passive investment instead of a business that needs care.
Especially the constant stream of Landlords who have screwed up basic procedures around issuing a section 21 properly because they think they've tycoons but haven't bothered to do the basic due diligence.

A good agent will know exactly how it should be done and a hood Landlord will admit when they don't know what they're doing.

Use a professional letting agent if you don't want the hassle.