The Property Ombudsman Recensioni 389

I am extremely disappointed with The Property Ombudsman. They are completely useless and do not follow the law. It feels like they work for the agencies rather than being an impartial service for the people.
​My experience was a disaster:
​Intentional Delays: They took over a year to respond to my complaint. I believe they did this on purpose so that documents would be lost and the details forgotten.
​Ignoring Illegal Conduct: I proved the agency broke the law and acted unprofessionally, but the Ombudsman ignored it. They told me they "couldn't help" just because the agency gave an answer—even though the answer was wrong and unprofessional.
​Privacy Ignored: I specifically asked that certain people from the agency not be involved with my house, but they ignored my safety and privacy completely.
​Deposit Issues: They refused to help me with my deposit despite clear evidence of the agency's mistakes.
​Rude Management: The branch manager in Leeds was incredibly rude, and the Ombudsman did nothing to address this behavior.
​To the people working there: You need to think about your roles and why you have this position. Do your job properly and fairly to help the people you are meant to serve, instead of just protecting the companies.
​Avoid this service if you actually want justice.

Dan Lax was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I ended up speaking to him by mistake, however, in future if i have any questions I will go straight to him. He is an asset to TPO!

RE: 119401\TPO
I just can confirm all reviews below. Absolutely corrupted organization that openly prevent investigations and harass you.

Based on their self-representation above they are ‘The Property Ombudsman (TPO) is approved by Government to independently review disputes between consumers and property agents’. Also they try to intimidate all reviewers ‘We value the privacy of our employees and any review naming an employee specifically will be reported’ and advise ‘If you would like to discuss any matters further please contact us via reviews@tpos*** where we will be able to discuss and resolve the matter with you’

I have sent them my 'matters' today with copy to involved Resolution Officer. Copy of my sent ‘matters' are below. It is complaints about lack of financial transparency of management company Colin Bibra.

The names of TPO employees are hidden now despite the Resolution Officer was extremely operative and literally within half an hour give me the answer: ‘Thank you for your email. As previously advised, the Final Decision cannot be appealed, and this case will remain closed. Any further correspondence on this matter will be filed without acknowledgement’. Impressive speed, I believe the country must know its hero! If I don’t see fair and impartial investigation until the end of this week, the names will be published. TPO can fill free and report whatever they want. I personally recommend report to the UN, I am sure they expressed a deep concern. The situation with property management is Royal Mail case number 2 (AI conclusion, not mine). But I am not going wait for decades for justice, so any scandal and escalation will be useful.
____
Dear Ms *** & ***
Final Notice.

I kindly ask you to reconsider this case, as I believe my rights to a fair investigation were violated and the meanings of my complaints were distorted. Despite the case is closed you have to make an exception,
If you had investigated my complaints properly, you would have noticed that I am not only the leaseholder of the flat in ****, but a share free holder as well. As a joint freeholder of the above property, I am entitled to full access to the building’s accounts, bank statements, service charge records, invoices, and all related financial documentation. But I am refused despite permanent polite requests.
This email is a formal written warning that if this case is not reconsidered asap I will pursue you for corruption, harassment and preventing investigation.

Also I will involve my MP in this dispute to start consultation in Common with the aim to shut or reform your organization as not fit for purpose. Communication with you is just wasting time and energy at the moment.
Nevertheless I would prefer to resolve this matter cooperatively.
Below the list of clues where you were not right.

1. email Nov 3, 2025 from ***: ‘Furthermore, the property manager or agent may be advised to no longer discuss your concerns with you’. What do you mean? This is my property that I bought and I can discuss my concerns with the agent that was employed to provide services if I am not happy with something. This is my property, not the property of Colin Bibra. I see this quota as an attempt to represent me as an inadequate person and to put pressure on me. In other words it is harassment.

2. The complaint number 2 (Request for clarification regarding Service Charge Account for Year-end 2024) has not been completed by Colin Bibra so far in due course. I have the only response from current property manager Darshil Sheth. I informed Colin Bibra that I am not satisfied with it and need further clarification. The final answer must be from Ms. Agnieszka Levy in line with the complaint handling procedure. And it is your duty to oblige her to provide her response. I am still looking forward to seeing her reply.

3. You taught me that I must pay Service Charge. However it is not the area of your competency and I did not raise this issue in my complaints. I count this as another episode of harassment. I understand very well for what Service charge exists without patronizing lecture of ***.

4. Darshil Sheth claimed that your organization may have obliged Colin Bibra to provide a service charge bank statement. It is recorded. You claimed that it is not your remit. If Darshil Sheth lied to me, please advise Colin Bibra to remove him from our house. He behaves very aggressively and arrogantly and if it is not stopped my legal team will pursue him personally.

There one more point, left for the next stage.

Why is this organization still operating?? Please realize it’s a corrupt organization!
Still waiting for an update from them! They always try initially, not to take on a case by harassing you with one obstacle after another.
If you have been scammed by the Estate Agent, going to the property ombudsman will traumatize you even more! They have no intention of ever ruling in your favor! They will lie, cover-up, ignore facts, and even when the proof of cheating is staring them in the face, they will award you 150 pounds for being scammed to the tune of thousands! And sometimes, not even that!
My estate agent felt empowered by the verdict! His gloating added to my distress. The second Estate agent I engaged, heard about this verdict from the previous agent, and scammed me to an even greater degree! The Ombudsman is the ring leader of corrupt Estate agents, and is there to punish you for daring to take action against these Estate Agents! Corrupt, liars, inept, slow, dishonest! Many qualities all packed into one dubious organization!

NOT RECOMMEND. Very poor service, extremely disappointed. Whilst the process was far swifter than I had expected, taking less than 5 months start to finish. I also found those who I had contact with to be polite, patient and professional.

But it seemed ominous from the very outset, that the process was not totally fair or unbiased - when the TPO Adjudicator outlined which areas of my complaint he would review.

Only 3 of the 7 areas which I had raised concerns with would they review. TPO refused to investigate those which were the most important in my opinion and these very clearly breached their guidelines, Code of Practice and the estate agents duty of care.

The staff member, in Adjudication stated that it was not TPO role or remit to investigate breaches of Consumer Protection regulations. When it is very clearly one of their core values and one of the pillars of the Code of Practice - which is based on these fundementals.

He went further to state that contract law was also outside their field. Where again breaches of both CRA and Estate Agent Act were made by unclear, confusing or undisclosed conflict of Interest in the contract clauses. These are certainly within TPOs remit.

Finally what was at the very core of my complaint, which I made in late July, had by late September been allocated to the FTT, Property Chambers, but TPO then concluded they could not review, investigate or comment on ANY of the areas of my complaint - even though these were not to be reviewed at the Tribunal, nor are these even within the scope of the FTT.

It seemed to me that the Property Ombudsman are confused by their own remits and perimeters, so rather than exceed these limitations, they don't investigate anything which they feel overlaps.

However, what areas of my complaint they did investigate they supported and awarded in my favour £300. Sadly despite my several requests for clarity on - if, when or how by accepting this, would it impede my rights to further legal recourse or prevent further action against the agent. They didn't reply, so I had to reject the compensation.

Now I have raised the issues at the Independent Review level, as there were failures in procedure and there was also a second stage of complaint review, missed entirely.

**Edit: Below the Ombudsman response to this review. I have tried contacting you 3 times non of these enquiries were replied to, made by M Arnold Ref 119161/TPO

Ridiculous waste of time, sides with the big companies forgets about the small people who they are meant to fight for. More stress than PB!!

What a complete waste of time! I’m so mad at myself for not reading these reviews before logging my complaint with the property “ombudsman”. I initially wrote to them on the 21st of October to log my complaint against Purple Bricks (fyi NEVER use Purple Bricks) and I have only just received a conclusion of their “investigation” this morning. In a nutshell they’ve sided with PB and have found that the £175 they initially offered me to be fair. (It isn’t and is extremely insulting). I’ve had my property listed with PB for 12 months and have received 3 viewings in the time. I’ve dropped the price twice now so they can’t argue that I’ve priced it too high. I’ve had zero communication from PB and when I have spoken to them it’s been like speaking to an uneducated brick wall. The whole experience has been just so upsetting. I won’t go into too much detail but we were hoping to sell last year with our 2 year old daughter due to start several surgeries this year. I had hoped that the property ombudsman would have been able to help us recoup some of the money we paid PB but it appears not. Don’t waste your time and instruct a solicitor instead.

I wanted use this service as I have a serious situation with a landlord. Unfortunately, the reviews are not encouraging. Why would 90% of respondees report a minimal score for you?

My experience with The Property Ombudsman was disappointing.
Important procedural issues were not substantively addressed, and a subsequent service complaint about how my case was handled was declined without meaningful consideration. The process lacked transparency and clear reasoning.
Based on my experience, I have limited confidence in TPO as a redress scheme.

It has been well highlighted on this site that the TPO is unable to command public confidence because it is paid for by the very sector that people are complaining about. There is a new redress body in the pipeline under the Renters Rights Act so it is vital that every complainant makes plain their concerns about the issue of independence to the relevant government department and to their MP asap. I would add here a further key issue which is less well known: TPO ADJUDICATORS ARE NOT LEGALLY QUALIFIED,

it has been 1 year nothing has been happened favoritism with the agent

This body is a complete waste of space and time and if you feel you need to take your concern further i would not bother,
They have no power over Management Companies which need urgently regulating.
Property Ombudsman took months to conduct enquiries . They have no powers over unregulated bodies.
would not discus it with me further and all i got was £100 compensation which did not address the broader issues of the Management Company not adopting or following up health and safety issues not to mention them taking months to reply to enquiries this affecting my re mortgage application

Dont waste your time

Update to my review: just found out the Agent is listed in the Businesses that have not complied with the money laundering regulations (2025 to 2026) Government report. We are always told to make sure a company is legit and regulated. This is for our protection apparently. A regulated company means nothing to me any more, I know for a fact I would stand more chance of getting my money back if I hand it straight to an unregulated scammer.

I contacted the ombudsman months ago regarding an Agent who sold hundreds of off-plan apartments to investors who have lost their money, they had excessively high reservation fees and the reservation contract was set up in a way that I was never going to get my money back even though I queried it at the time and as I understood would only lose the reservation fee if I breached the contract by not exchanging, which I didnt. They also gave my money to an unregulated company whose Director has a questionable background, then said they can't give me my money back because they are just the 3rd party who deal with the transaction. TPO called me a few weeks ago, first words out of their mouth were the Agent is saying your dispute is with the developer not them. I asked if they had spoken to the Agent and they said no not yet. I dont think they had even read the complaint and supporting evidence. Go figure. I closed the complaint. They say they are there for a fair outcome for the consumer but it seems they are more about defending the Agent. It has been the worst experience of my life, has caused massive distress and quite frankly no-one seems to care even the regulators

Liz was amazing!

WORST ombudsman. Nay saying Little Engand. Their complaint process is designed to reject you without accepting your complaint, let alone investigating it. I suggest you involve your MP with these industry FRAUDS

MINUS 5 stars. Sadly the TPO is nothing more than a lip service. Their fees for reviewing a complaint made to them about one of their members (block managing agents/estate agents) is paid by their member. Rarely do they find in favour against their member as they won't bite the hand that pays their fees (and wages?)

As a result, leaseholders and flat owners are regularly let DOWN by the TPO and this encourages their members (the agents) to continue any bad or poor behaviours and practices.

A joke of a service.

If you see an agent is regulated or a member or the TPO - don't be fooled into thinking it's any guarantee this is a good agent that treats flat owners fairly.

Ironic that in reply to the many bad reviews about the TPO, they ask to contacted further to provide help -but they've failed to provide help in the first place and hence bad reviews.

A zero service.

* Update 22 Dec 25 *
Thanks for your reply TPO.

You won't make independent and fair decisions when your fees are paid by the members who are often forced to complain, as your members (managing agents) often fail to treat leaseholderses fairy and equally. You as the TPO let valid complaints continue. A lip service?

My experience with the Property Ombudsman has been extremely disappointing. I approached them after suffering a significant financial loss due to misleading information I received from an estate agent. Unfortunately, the Ombudsman dismissed my case on what felt like a technicality — simply because the assurances I was given were verbal rather than in writing.

In reality, most communication with estate agents is verbal, and the Ombudsman’s approach effectively means consumers have no protection unless every conversation is recorded. This undermines the purpose of the service and leaves ordinary people exposed, even when the consequences are serious and financially damaging.

Although they acknowledge the situation was frustrating and that the chain collapsed, they still concluded the agent “acted reasonably,” which does not reflect the actual impact or fairness of what occurred. My experience has left me feeling that the system leans heavily toward protecting businesses rather than consumers.

I am grateful the service exists in theory, but in practice I did not feel protected, supported, or treated fairly. I would encourage anyone dealing with agents to get every promise in writing, because otherwise the Ombudsman will not take it into account.

Letting agent mismanaged property portfolio, we have tons of evidence and reports from independents, lost almost 30k, was awarded 1.5k and told it was my fault as I should have known better then to trust the agent. The agent even missed the deadline to submit evidence, I was told of he missed the deadline, his evidence would be void, they took it anyway. They can't bite the hand that feeds them.

Edit: it took you a year just to look at the case, I don't fancy waiting another year for the follow up emails :D

They are only there to protect the estate agents and pocket a salary. A total waste of space. My Estate Failed to pass on an offer to the seller as legally obliged to do so. The Ombudsman stated that they did not understand the complaint and set out a list of what they do not deal with. Fortunately for me, it was the seller who lost out but this organisation are hopeless and illiterate by the sounds of it.

Awful experience. They were over 3 months delayed in provided a response. When I phoned them up they said it can take 6 to 12 months for a response. After making me wait for months for a response, they then say that my complaint is over 12 months (the irony), when a part of my complaint was about a review that was recently posted, and the response came shortly after I complained about their response which felt like retaliation as they couldn’t have come to that conclusion if they reviewed the actual complaint.