The Property Ombudsman Omdömen 

TPO is meant to provide accessible redress outside of court. In practice, they neither investigate agent misconduct nor protect landlord rights.

In 2023, I bought a flat as a first-time buyer, with a tenant in situ from Martin & Co Oxford, who also managed the property before and after the sale.

The seller had carried out renovations overseen by the agency, used as selling points. These same renovations were later denied or ignored when I needed proof for a deposit claim.

I submitted a complaint to TPO, supported by strong evidence of Martin & Co Oxford’s misconduct, including:

Testimonies confirming tenant-caused damage,

Proof the agency misled the deposit scheme and withheld key documentation,

Evidence of false accusations, mismanagement, and financial harm.

TPO dismissed nearly everything.

Their internal SAR (Subject Access Request) logs (which I requested) show that exchanges between Martin & Co Oxford and TPO, as well as within TPO itself, make it clear my complaint was never treated seriously and was even met with derision.

TPO then assessed my complaint point by point, ignoring how omissions and errors linked together to cause financial loss.

Their conclusions — and why they’re flawed:

a. “We are unable to consider complaints about events at the time you bought the property…”

Martin & Co Oxford withheld renovation records they had promoted at sale—records I later needed to prove damage. Their refusal blocked my ability to claim against the tenant. This wasn’t historic — it directly affected the present.

b. “I am unable to criticise Martin & Co Oxford for giving advice about deposit deductions...”

They accused me of “seeking betterment” — while withholding the very renovation details that disproved it. One issue enabled the other.

c. “I am unable to conclude that damage was due to agent mismanagement...”

They accepted an inspection report omitting major damage I had flagged — signed off by someone who never visited the flat. This isn’t oversight, it’s cover-up.

d. “It was your duty to pay for the repairs...”

Regardless of who pays first, letting agents must report damage and preserve evidence when tenants are liable. TPO ignored testimonies, photos, and expert reports proving the tenant caused the damage.

e. “Martin & Co Oxford made a fair offer for the boiler service...”

They diverted funds meant for the check-out inspection to an unnecessary 4-month old boiler service (they had had installed themselves so they knew how old it was), carried out without my knowledge or consent. TPO called this “fair”.

f. “I am unable to conclude that you received less of the tenant’s deposit than you should have...”

Martin & Co Oxford failed to get the tenant to sign the check-in inventory (allowed by TPO). They then falsely told the deposit scheme that I only sought a partial refund and agreed with deductions. Both were false. TPO still refused to intervene.

The company file that never was

TPO told me they would request Martin & Co Oxford’s company file. But my SAR shows the agency provided nothing.

Despite this, TPO still cleared them. How can an ombudsman claim to investigate when the agent didn’t even submit its file?

The outcome?

Martin & Co Oxford’s failures (not providing renovation records, securing inventory signatures, or presenting my claim properly) denied me legal recourse against the tenant. This isn’t just negligence. It’s a denial of justice.

TPO brushed it all off as either “out of scope” or “not proven”, despite multiple forms of evidence.

Even faced with proof bordering on illegality, TPO won’t act. Their adjudicator used the word “unable” five times. A perfect summary of what TPO is: simply… unable.

GDPR now, your fault later

Before buying the flat, I asked Martin & Co Oxford what renovations had been carried out. They refused to tell me — citing GDPR or claiming it “wasn’t my business yet”.

After the purchase, I was told it was my fault for not checking this prior to the purchase by TPO.

So when exactly was I supposed to find out? Before, when I wasn’t allowed to ask? Or after, when it was too late?

I am seeking legal advice. Let this be a warning. If you’re seeking justice after letting agent misconduct — TPO will not help you.

Final thought:

TPO’s own notes imply it was my responsibility to uncover what Martin & Co Oxford failed to disclose (including unauthorised occupancy, renovation details, and missing inventory records).

In other words, if the agent misled me or withheld information, that’s somehow my fault for not foreseeing it.

What kind of message does this send to consumers?

What’s the point of regulation if the burden always falls on victims?

TPO: Spare me your useless copy-paste. Don’t reply to my review!

100% waste of time - they will just send you a boiler plate two-page text explaining why they will do absolutely nothing.
They should be shut down.
As a 'regulator' they are wasting the time of people with valid complaints but who have not read the reviews on TrustPilot.

Sent in a complaint 11 months ago, was told it was in line with what the ombudsman look at, 7 months later it got assigned to a resolution officer who agreed there was a case. It then got passed to an adjudicator a week ago who contacted me today. Their email agreed the service of the management company fell below their expectations, however the ombudsman aren’t going to help. It was reiterated several times it’s not because they are too busy, but it seems by the 3rd time of reading that, they may just be too busy to help. Almost a year waiting for that. Hard to see the point of the ombudsman if they are too busy to help, whether it’s lack of staff or lack of an impartial view, I wouldn’t put any faith in the ombudsman moving forward and see little point in the organisation as a whole. Beyond disappointing!

I sought the advice of this outfit on the phone but their voicemail message informed me that no one would speak to me because of “staff training”. I do not know of any other service which would treat customers in this way.
I then read other reviews which basically said this outfit is very poor.
I shall save my time and leave them well alone. Their attitude shows complete indifference to customers

My property management company, Countrywide Property Lettings (CRL, where the C really should stand for Clowns) neglected to arrange a water cylinder inspection that was declared mandatory by the building management company, and this despite my four documented reminders over two months from 8 timezones away. Within a few months, the cylinder burst, causing damage to my property and adjoining ones as well. I had to pay for a new cylinder and repairs in my property, fair enough, but I also paid 5000 pounds excess to the building insurance to repair other properties.

I first spent 3 months with CRL trying to get them to admit fault, but got the runaround at the working-clown level, culminating in a generous offer of 75 pounds for my trouble. I rejected that and took my case to the Property Ombudsman (TPO) because I felt here was an impartial party that would surely see the evidence that is clear as day and make me whole for the costs incurred.

TPO after 6-7 months of "sorry we are backlogged but will get to your case soon" emails, finally came back with an adjudication stating that (1) clearly CRL was in the wrong based on cited clauses of property manager responsibilities and (2) mentioned that CRL had admitted negligence in getting the inspection done. And yet the adjudication was for 200 pounds in the end! I have rejected the adjudication and called TPO a few names in my response. This corruption and collusion between the property management companies and the property ombudsman, both united to screw the individual investor in the UK, especially if that investor is based overseas and unable to come around and lay down some discipline on the spot.

My next stop should be the courts and I might take that option, but given that a case as obvious as this one took over 6 months with TPO, my sense is it may take even longer in the courts and in the end it will be another laughable decision.

I was advised by a District Judge that I have a worthy court case about damp, disrepair, unfair contracts, being mislead about property conditions etc. I was asked if I wanted to take it forward (the cost would be thousands of pounds, which at the time I was not in a financial position to provide). I opted for TPO services believing they could help. To be clear, TPO's default settings are to throw out your case immediately, unless you can contest it has worth. Adjudicators treat Complainants as bringing problems. Summarising the process, I have major concerns with TPO's service and do not find it fit for purpose. The evidence review process was biased and ineffective as a vehicle of justice. As these reviews (collectively) confirm, it's an Ombudsman that rarely looks after tenant/consumer interests. They like to describe themselves as impartial, in practice they are nowhere close to being. Their decisions fail tenants - enabling Letting Agents continuing scope to offer poor services, unfair terms and dodgy practices. They don't hold agents accountable. Many initial decisions have been made without looking at Tenant evidence. This consumer went on to appeal and waited further time. The responses I got were so ridiculously weighted towards estate agent narrative (which is non-sensical with evidence to the contrary). I felt there was little effort to understand my concerns (most of which weren't itemised in reviews). This leaves no doubt where TPO's main concerns lie - with those who pay them. TPO do not follow their own platitudes detailed online. They make people wait extraordinary amounts of time just to be assigned. Then adjudicators make decisions as quickly as possible and ask for Complainant's to agree in a narrow timeframe. Corners are cut - e.g. cherry-picking what they want to respond to (if you have a large evidence file, expect them to pick one/two areas out of it and ignore the rest), major areas where there is a call for justice are not responded to, your evidence can be clear, but watch everything become reduced. There have been points where I have felt thoroughly gaslit. After being at Senior Adjudication level, the vast majority of my complaints raised with Letting Agent in-house remain unanswered/uninvestigated. The first adjudicator made it clear that TPO's (condescending) stance is that you have little right to complain if you have had a response to in-house complaints (I think the idea is that you should blindly accept, even if you are living in building about to be condemned by env. health; whilst the Letting Agent is still playing games). There are additional, limiting factors that are introduced mid-process that are not made transparent from the outset- these made legitimate concerns appear irrelevant. I feel that the company should be honest with Tenants upfront about limiting the scope of complaints, what they can/can't do (so that people can make an informed decision whether to apply for/wait for service or take directly to legal/other bodies). The main intent in my case was to defend the initial review; and to only look at the evidence that could confirm that. It's a miscarriage of service.

To repeat, the ethical message behind decisions made gives Letting Agents full scope to deliver poor quality, illegal or unfair services. TPO bias actively enables that. TPO frequently stated the limitations in their authority to affect change

How many more generic responses are TPO going to send to Consumers before they start being honest with themselves about systemic issues?

I had a problem complete the on-line form,
several members of staff, assisted in guiding me in the right direction.

Complaint accepted. 9 months and countless emails later, zero communication from them. I phoned to ask what is happening, only to be told that they are waiting to assign an adjudicator, and they cant give me the contact of the colleague who is responsible for this case.

I submitted a formal complaint to The Property Ombudsman regarding an estate agent’s handling of my case, expecting a fair and independent review. Unfortunately, my experience has left me deeply disappointed.

Despite raising concerns about the initial decision, my escalation was handled by the same Resolution Officer who made the original determination. This undermined the principle of impartiality and gave the impression that the process was more about defending the initial outcome than genuinely reconsidering the evidence. I specifically requested that a different officer review the case, but this was refused without explanation.

Key points and supporting evidence were not addressed in the final response, and I was advised that there was no further route of escalation within the service. The tone of communication felt dismissive, and the process lacked transparency. While TPO is promoted as a consumer redress scheme, my experience felt weighted in favour of the estate agent, with little accountability or procedural oversight.

I have since raised a formal Service Complaint and will be escalating the matter to relevant regulatory bodies. I expected better from a government-approved scheme tasked with protecting consumer interests. Given that The Property Ombudsman is funded entirely by estate agents and property businesses fee, I believe this raises legitimate concerns about impartiality and whether consumer interests are being prioritised. I will be sharing my experience and this review with my local MP, with the intention of raising the matter in Westminster. A government-approved redress scheme must be held to the highest standards — and where those standards are consistently unmet, its continued approval should be reconsidered.

I had my suspicions about the Ombudsman being biased towards the estate agent, until I read the reviews I am certain they are!
I believe the estate agents have wind of this as well, because when i mentioned i would escalate the matter to the Ombudsman they did not seem to care at all, I felt they knew it would be a waste of time.
The Ombudsman rejected my complaint twice, the first time they suggested to escalate the complaint to the next stage to which i did, the second time they said they couldnt accept my complaint because the agent hasnt given me their "final response" I literally mentioned on my (next stage) complaint that I am requesting a final response because the Ombudsman wanted one, the agent gave me their final viewpoint (final response) but because the agent didnt use the words "this is our final response" the Ombudsman refused to accept my complaint! Anyone with a tiny bit of common sense would know that! It is pretty clear the Ombudsman do not care. Also their online form to submit the complaint does not work! I had to hand write it all, waste of time.

What a waste of time!
All of the reviews on here pretty much sum up TPO.
They don’t even read your complaints I don’t think.
They say they have huge case load and unsurprisingly, as Estate Agents are just so bad. Even worse than back in the day.
This organisation is just like many government agencies these days, where everyone just covers the backsides of each others.
My case was accepted in March and I’ve just got their stupid decision this week -August 25.
I just believe we are living in the Wild West with all of the Ombudsman’s as all the review pages read alike this very one.
I just wish we had laws in this country to protect us, as these so called “governing bodies” just protect the bad guys!
These people here yet again don’t give a damn about the general public suffering.
If I could give 0 I would.

The quicker you no longer exist the better.

Pointless organisation. It’s just an added layer of bureaucracy to disguise the true extent of how vile estate agents can be. No real consequences for agents that are found ”breaching the code of conduct”. My complaint was accepted in May 2023 and concluded in August 2025. That is a much more realistic time frame than the 90days they claim on their website.

7 months to get a reply and then they expect you to make your decision in 7 days!!
Deadline date and time changed a couple of times incredibly till I asked for clarification.
Three different staff, no transparency of process, not able to send evidence .
Emails keep saying do not send any evidence other than that which they have asked for. I have not seen what the estate agent sent in though will ask as he lied to me so I expect him to lie to everyone. So how can that be fair and proper. One eided evidence does not make a fair decision.
Emails not replied to. My deadline came before I had received replies to my email queries.
They record all conversations but folk on the other are NOT permitted to record.
( how sure how they police that one?)
They said they could not make a decion on my case because it was a guaranteed rent contract so why take 7 months to establish that.
If the property ombudsman is really busy at all perhaps it could document on their web pages and screen incoming complaints to see if they can actually provide answers to them.
It does seem a bit of a shambles to be honest. It needs tightening up big time. DO COMPLAIN about the ombudsman process if you have found it to be as bad as this to. Frankly it seems to be biased in favour of estate agents - so landlords and indeed tenants don’t build you hopes up. Go to the courts.

The property ombudsman is a complete waste of time. My case took 15 months. In that time I constantly had go chase them.

After approximately 12 months of nothing happening except acknowledging that I had a good case , they then handed the case to an Adjudicator. She basically ignored most of the evidence and sided with the crooked Estate agent Peter Alan.
At the end of the email the Adjudicator sent me it state that your case will be closed in two days and you can not reply to this email.

Save yourself the time from form filling and either let it go of go to a proper solicitor.
Believe me one star is generous. I had a very simple one sided case.

I can't put down the proper date of my experience as it will only go back one year, and chances are you will be waiting longer than that.

This service really isn't fit for purpose and should be shut down.

The TPO scheme is underpinned by estate agents ,letting agents and managing agents so you really can't expect much as they really seem to protect who they work for.

You only have to Google the the estate agent to see how many times they have done the same thing to load of other people. In fact BBC panarama even recently covered what was happening in one if their programs.
I really wish I could put up just a couple of links on here so people can see that the property ombudsman is also ignoring what is going on and I would say even complicit.

They should should shut down this whole unit and replace it with something else. It seems another toothless regulatory body which is similar to Ofwat with the addition of the fact that it is industry-funded so their impartiality is questionable. You know from the start that they dont want to investigate your case, they will say there is not enough evidence and rather than ask you supplement- they will ask you to resubmit the whole thing- presumably they have some sort of targets and by asking you to resubmit, it works in their favour. Provided a whole bunch of evidence to one 'Mr CT' and what he arranged was a £25 goodwill gesture from the agent. Meanwhile I was thousands of pounds down due to wrong information being told to me by the agent. They didnt even ask the agent to give a written response to my complaint- which is contravention of statutory customer service legislation. I would seriously not waste your time with these people. Either forget about it, or if your case is strong enough, go the legal route.

I wish I'd read these reviews before I went down the route of contacting TPO. Just had a reply - sent 28 pages of indisputable evidence and they have ruled in favour of the estate agent, ignoring every piece of evidence submitted. I have been told as they are now not supporting the claim, they don't need to take into account that the person accused of wrong doing actually carried out the investigation on themself. The TPO have actually REFUSED to let me submit the evidence that the agent illegally deleted and altered entries on a SAR report which formed the key evidence to my case. They have asked for my comments on their "proposed" decision and to let them know if there is any new evidence - perhaps I am missing something here, but if they won't accept the existing evidence and make a ruling when the know the agents investigation and therefore response is not impartial - what is the point? As some reviewers have pointed out, the TPO announced they were about to decide on the case at the start without giving me an opportunity to submit evidence, so in my opinion they had already decided the case before it even started. I think WHICH consumer magazine needs to know about this. Can I advise anyone that has been treated in the same way to raise a complaint with Trading Standards - if enough people file a complaint, the TPO will have to be looked into. It may also be worth contacting Watchdog. Good luck everyone.

Took an age to get any response, finally went to solicitor to take agent to court. The agent had underpaid me rent and had tenants money as well. He refused to do reply to me or my accountant who had checked the figures before i confronted him.I found out I had insurance to take the agent to court, but this didn't cover my tenants, 2 of whom were vulnerable adults with learning difficulties, he owed them £2,500 between them. I sent them all the proof of the previous agent paying into their account but when I finally got a response from the property ombudsman, the name itself is a joke, they told me it was over the time limit for them to do anything, even though I'd sent numerous emails with evidence of their wrongdoing. I'm now looking at other ways I can get my tenants money back. Absolute joke!!

Pitiful organisation - was sold a house in which the previous occupant committed suicide and took my complaint to this bunch of clowns. They arrived at a decision WITHOUT seeking evidence from me - I awaited 7 months for a response, assuming from these reviews they were just clueless, only to discover that they had viewed my case without seeking the evidence that I has and was awaiting to provide

Raised a case with them in 2023, finally got a decision two years later. They rejected my case despite clear and supporting evidence against the agent. Asked them to review the decision and they awarded peanuts. Then the agent didn’t pay the award and the Ombudsman won’t do anything about it when the award is meant to be binding. Their response times are ridiculously slow and they are clearly biased towards agents yet they call themselves independent!!! Don’t bother with these guys - they are a disgrace! I believe they want people to give them bad reviews to deter people from using them and make their life easier. Far from fair and independent from a consumer perspective! I had to raise a complaint due to their poor handling of the matter and still waiting despite them saying they would respond by a certain date.