Please Note: All references to the masculine include the feminine on TPO website and documents.
Welcome to The Property Ombudsman
My powers allow me to make awards of compensation for financial loss and/or aggravation, distress and inconvenience, where I feel that is appropriate. The service is free of charge for the public.
I'm not a regulator or consumer guardian.
This website contains all the information that you need for making a complaint to an agent, bringing the complaint to my office and also provides you with a list of all agents who are members of the TPO Scheme or who are registered with us. If you need any further help or guidance, my staff will be only too pleased to assist you.
Christopher Hamer, The Property Ombudsman
Sales
My role is to provide fair and reasonable resolutions to disputes between members of the public and estate agents who are members of the TPO Scheme or who have registered with the TPO under the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Approved Estate Agents Redress Scheme. Firms who are members follow the TPO Code of Practice for Residential Sales, which has been approved by the OFT under the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme.
Lettings
The TPO can also resolve disputes referred by landlords or tenants and relating to lettings and management agents that are members of the Scheme. These agents follow the Code of Practice for Letting Agents, for which we are seeking OFT approval, in common with the Code of Practice for Residential Sales.
Note that disputes relating to repayment of deposits paid by tenants and which are protected by an approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme should be referred to the relevant deposit protection scheme.
Latest News
Ombudsman expels Estate Agent who failed to safeguard deposit or pay compensation
Residential lettings and sales agency Global Realty has been expelled from The Property Ombudsman scheme (TPO) after failing to pay a £1,600 award made against it.
Four calls an hour over lettings problems
The Property Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, reveals in his latest quaterly report that the number of new cases concerning house sales he is investigating is on the rise again.
Make a Complaint
If you wish to make a complaint against a Member Estate Agent or Letting Agent, please use the relevant link below to ensure you get the appropriate information.
Join the TPO Scheme
If you are an Estate Agent or Letting Agent and would like to become a member of the TPO Scheme please use the link below to ensure you get the appropriate information.
