New data shows a drop in searches for pet-friendly properties since the Renters' Rights Act came into force. Speaking to BBC News, our Chief Ombudsman, Lesley Horton, highlighted the importance of understanding the rules around fees and deposits. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Rental searches for pet friendly properties drop after law change

Agents say some renters wrongly believe permission to have a pet is guaranteed.

bbc.co.uk

We’re delighted to welcome Enna Khan as our new Director of Operations. With more than two decades of senior leadership experience spanning operations, customer experience and digital transformation, Enna will oversee operational delivery at the organisation.

With the Renters' Rights Act changing how pet requests are handled, letting agents can play a key role in supporting both landlords and tenants and reducing disputes. View our best practice tips below. 👇

The Renters' Rights Act is changing expectations across the private rented sector. Visit the renters' rights section on our website for more information on what we can and can't help with. www.tpos.co.uk/renters-righ...

Yesterday’s online Consumer & Industry Forum covered key updates on leasehold reform, the Renters’ Rights Act and home buying and selling reforms. Our Chief Ombudsman, Lesley Horton, gave an overview of early Renters’ Rights Act trends that we're seeing.

Is construction type material information? A buyer withdrew from a property purchase after a survey revealed the property was of non-standard construction. Should he have known sooner? Read the full case study: www.tpos.co.uk/case-studies...

It was great to attend the ARCO annual conference in London. Our Deputy Ombudsman Gemma Adams heard all about the latest updates and spoke with leaders from across the integrated retirement community sector.

Five property businesses have been expelled from our scheme after failing to pay compensation awards to consumers. The businesses were removed following independent compliance reviews, which found they had not complied with Ombudsman decisions.

On 19 June, the UK Government announced proposed reforms to the home buying and selling process, including plans for sales packs, earlier binding agreements, digital property tools and a new Code of Practice for estate agents. Find out more: www.gov.uk/government/n...

The Government has set out plans to modernise the home buying and selling process, aiming to reduce delays, cut costs and minimise fall-throughs. Key proposals include greater upfront information through sales packs, increased digitalisation and strengthened professional standards across the sector

Tenancy notices are one of the areas that we're receiving the most questions about since the new rules came into effect under the Renters' Rights Act. We've answered some frequently asked questions below.

Dual fee disputes are rarely about people and are usually about processes. In this article, our Chief Ombudsman explains the common issues we see and what estate agents can do to avoid dual fee disputes. www.propertywire.com/analysis/dua...

Dual fee disputes, it’s a process problem, not a people problem - PropertyWire

Dual fee disputes remain one of the most persistent and complex issues in the residential property sector.

propertywire.com

We're at the CTSI Conference, where our policy colleagues Peter and Charlotte are speaking with Trading Standards officers and providing insight into the issues that consumers are experiencing across the property sector. If you're attending, stop by stand 12 and say hello!👋

It's a busy week of industry events. We're looking forward to attending the Ombudsman Association, CTSI Conference and #Propertymark One, where Chief Ombudsman Lesley Horton will be speaking on a panel about navigating the Renters' Rights Act with confidence.

Our latest insight report looks at the complaints we received about auction sales between January and December 2025. It explores the issues consumers commonly experience and the lessons these insights offer for auctioneers, modern method providers, consumers and the wider sector.

Reduce the risk of delayed or disputed commission fees with our new dual fee guide. This helps estate agents follow best practice, understand what counts as an effective introduction and avoid common complaint causes. Read the guide: www.tpos.co.uk/wp-content/u...

Navigate the Renters’ Rights Act with confidence and stay compliant. Our Chief Ombudsman Lesley Horton will join a panel at Propertymark One on 12 June (12:05, main stage) to discuss the impact of the Act on complaints and how property professionals can avoid disputes.

The deadline for letting agents to send the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet to tenants is fast approaching. Agents must send the Information Sheet to tenants by 31 May, even if the landlord has already provided it. We’ve set out some of the key information below.

Have you visited our new website area about the Renters’ Rights Act? This brings together guidance on what we can and can’t help with, along with complaints advice tailored for letting agents, consumers and landlords. Find out more: www.tpos.co.uk/renters-rights-act

We're in Swindon today at the Surveyor Live event, where our Deputy Ombudsman Gemma Adams has spoken about handling complaints effectively. Gemma and our Director of Policy Peter Habert are enjoying speaking with delegates from across the surveying industry about best practice and standards.

Clear and timely communication can make a big difference to a consumer's experience when buying, selling or renting their home. Property businesses can build trust and reduce the risk of complaints with our communication tips below.

We've updated our Code of Practice for residential letting agents in England to reflect the new rules under the Renters' Rights Act. These updates build on the standards already in place. View the updated Code: www.tpos.co.uk/about-us/codes-of-practice

Codes of Practice | The Property Ombudsman

Our Codes of Practice are the gold standard for the property industry with the Sales and Lettings codes approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.

tpos.co.uk

We've created a new website section about the Renters' Rights Act with information on what we can and can't help with. If we can't help with a complaint, we've explained who can. There's tailored guidance for letting agents, landlords and tenants. www.tpos.co.uk/renters-rights-act

Renters' Rights Act | The Property Ombudsman

Find out how to make a complaint about a property business, the resolution process and links to information and organisations who can help.

tpos.co.uk

Our office and phone lines are closed on bank holidays and re-open at 9am on Tuesday 5 May. You can still access guidance on our website: www.tpos.co.uk

From today (1 May), the Renters’ Rights Act introduces new rules for private renting in England. The transformative changes in the Act will bring new safeguards for tenants and introduce new standards for agents to support landlords in understanding their responsibilities.

If you’re a letting agent managing a property, you must send the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet to tenants, even if the landlord has already done so. We’ve set out some of the key information about the Information Sheet below. Read the full Government guidance: www.gov.uk/government/p...

Six property businesses have been expelled from our scheme after they failed to pay compensation to consumers. Read more: www.tpos.co.uk/2026/04/six-...

Six property firms expelled from The Property Ombudsman | The Property Ombudsman

The latest updates about our service, policy developments and insight reports to promote best practice and prevent complaints.

tpos.co.uk

We’re the only Ombudsman in the property redress sector, but what does this mean for property businesses and consumers? Hear from our Chief Ombudsman Lesley Horton about how our work goes beyond resolving individual disputes.

New guidance has been published by the Government to help tenants understand how private renting will change from 1 May. It covers the key changes, how tenants can prepare and answers frequently asked questions. Find out more: housinghub.campaign.gov.uk/renting-is-c...

What happens when two estate agents claim commission for the same sale? The case study in our Annual Review 2025 explores a real dual fee dispute where a seller received two fee demands, how we investigated whether an effective introduction had been made and how the complaint was resolved.