More than 12,000 lettings offices registered with the UK's largest redress scheme have become approved traders under the Trading Standard Institute's (TSI) Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS) after The Property Ombudsman scheme's (TPO) Lettings Code of Practice was given the green light by the Consumer Codes Approval Board.
The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme has reported a sharp increase in the number of consumer complaints for the residential lettings sector, ahead of the requirement for all letting agents in England that comes into force this week (1st October 2014) for every letting agent to register with an approved redress scheme.
The figures, published in The Property Ombudsman's 2014 Interim Report reveal that 1,187 complaints were resolved in total about both sales and lettings issues between 1 January and 30 June 2014, with 721 complaints (61%) made against letting agents – a 37% increase on the same period last year.
The Ombudsman upheld 74% of the complaints made by landlords and tenants against letting agents.
The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme has expressed its support for a new 'best practice' Code for the Private Rented Sector (PRS) which was officially launched today by the Minister for Housing, Brandon Lewis.
The new PRS Code, which comes immediately into effect, was developed at the request of the Department for Communities and Local Government's (DCLG) in 2013. Facilitated by RICS, the drafting of the Code brought together TPO and sixteen other leading property organisations to collectively outline mandatory and recommended best practices for landlords and lettings agents in order to improve the stock of privately rented homes in the UK.
Fresh calls for letting agents to offer Client Money Protection have been backed by the Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme in the wake of several high-profile cases where landlords have lost thousands of pounds in rental income by dealing with an agent that did not have sufficient cover to protect consumers from rental fraud.
The Codes, which will be effective from 1st August 2014 and reflect the developments in industry practice and legislative changes affecting both consumers and agents.
The Property Ombudsman (TPO) scheme will be issuing revised Codes of Practice for sales and lettings agents from next month to further improve standards in the industry and ensure consumers are treated fairly.
The Codes, which will be effective from 1st August 2014 and reflect the developments in industry practice and legislative changes affecting both consumers and agents.
The Property Ombudsman has expelled a Hampshire letting agent from its redress scheme following a landlord complaint.
Whytehead Property Management, which trades as LBW Lettings in Fleet, refused to pay an award made by Christopher Hamer, the Ombudsman, after he upheld a complaint concerning several issues, including the management of repairs to the landlord’s property and failing to reference a tenant.
New report reveals 23% increase in enquiries with lettings disputes representing 60% of consumer complaints.
The latest Annual Report from The Property Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, reveals a substantial increase in the number of consumer enquiries and complaints against sales and lettings agents, with 16,000 enquiries received in 2013, a 23% increase on the previous year.
New national trade association created to raise standards in the 'Quick House Sale Sector' following OFT Market Study.
Some of the UK's largest and best-known property buying companies have collaborated with the Property Ombudsman (TPO) to create a new Code of Practice1 to address the issues raised in the Office of Fair Trading's (OFT) market study into the 'Quick House Sale' sector2.
New legislative changes will make it a legal requirement for all letting agents to register with a redress scheme.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has approved The Property Ombudsman (TPO) to provide a free and independent redress service to landlords and tenants as part of new legislative changes affecting letting agents.
Arvin Estates Ltd (AE) has been expelled by The Property Ombudsman following its failure to pay an award made by the Ombudsman following a complaint that he had independently reviewed and upheld for a landlord.
The agent, which is understood to have now ceased trading, provided sales and lettings services and operated one branch located at 136 The Crossways, Hounslow, TW5 0JR.
A Derbyshire property agency has been expelled from The Property Ombudsman scheme after failing to pay an award made against it.
TPO had delayed the expulsion of Letzlet Ltd, trading as Beechwood Lettings, while the complainant was helped to obtain a court judgment of £2,176, including court costs, against Letzlet Ltd, of Beechwood House, Matlock Street, Bakewell.
Direct Residential Lettings Limited (DRLL) has been expelled from The Property Ombudsman (TPO) for failure to pay an award following a serious breach of TPO's Code of Practice.
The letting agency is now in liquidation1 having formerly traded from a branch at 20 Western Road, Hove in East Sussex.
The Property Ombudsman (TPO) has issued his latest Interim Report for 2013, which includes:
The Property Ombudsman (TPO) is launching a new Code of Practice to cater for the growing number of Buying Agents acting for consumers buying property in the UK.
TPO provides a free and impartial dispute resolution service for consumers and will be implementing The Buying Agent Code of Practice on 1st January 2014. The new Code has been designed to create a uniform set of standards for buying agents based in the UK to protect the interests of consumers and to promote best practice in the industry.
Channel 4 Dispatches has raised an important matter. We were contacted by the filmmakers and stressed the point to them that too many consumers are unaware that these practices are illegal and therefore fail to complain.
The key issue at the heart of this matter is consumer education. We hope programmes such as these assist in raising awareness and educating consumers so they understand their rights and can identify when and how to complain.
Ombudsman Christopher Hamer responds to today's announcement from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) concerning new guidance affecting the way letting agents advertise their fees:
Lexton Property Services failed to pay tenant and landlord awards upheld by the Ombudsman following several persistent breaches of TPO's Lettings Code of Practice.
Lexton Property Services, a former lettings agent, has been expelled and refused future membership from The Property Ombudsman scheme (TPO) for a minimum of three years following several serious breaches of its Code of Practice.
London Rentals UK expelled from TPO full membership for two years following a serious breach of TPO's Code of Practice.
London Rentals UK has been refused renewal of its membership with The Property Ombudsman scheme (TPO) for two years following its failure to pay an award as directed by the Ombudsman following his review of a complaint.
TPO becomes the largest scheme to be approved by the Consumer Code Approval Scheme launched this year.
The Property Ombudsman (TPO) has become the first property organisation to have a Code of Practice approved by The Trading Standard Institute (TSI) under their Consumer Code Approval Scheme.
As the UK's largest property ombudsman scheme, with more than 22,000 sales and lettings branches registered, Ombudsman Christopher Hamer responds to today's OFT market study.
