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

I am able to consider disputes referred by landlords or tenants and relating to lettings and management agents that are members of the Scheme. These agents follow the TPO Code of Practice for Letting Agents, for which we are seeking OFT approval, in common with the TPO 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.

Commercial

My jurisdiction covers disputes concerning small commercial enterprises and charities who are members of the scheme. Members of the commercial scheme follow the Code of Practice for Commercial and Business Agents.

Residential Leasehold Management

I can also consider and promote a resolution to disputes referred by leaseholders or lessees of managed blocks areas and member agents of the scheme. Member agents are required to follow the Residential Leasehold Management General Membership Obligations.

Auctions/Chattels

My jurisdiction also extends to disputes concerning the actions of valuers and auctioneers, who are members of the scheme, and which relate to sales and transactions under the relevant Auctions legislation. Member firms are required to follow the Valuers and Auctioneers General Membership Obligations and the NAVA Rules of Conduct.