February 2024 by Christian Vanoni
Terrible service, delayed response. In my opinion the goal of this association is not to provide support to customer/citizens but just delay or derail complaints about agents and surveyors. I have placed a complaint about my surveyor for wrongdoing in April 2023 and I have provided all documents on 02-Aug-2023. They were supposed to provide a feedback within 60 days (nov-2023) but they had delays. I receive the standard email: ?we are understaffed but we do not compromise on quality therefore your complaint is delayed?. I sent reminders and chaser emails, I even left few voicemails but I did not get any feedback so far. My request was 99049\TPO. Avoid at all costs.
August 2023 by Pavel Kazakovtsev
Agent ignored my e-mails and provided me with false information, clearly breaking complaints procedure. TPO ruled in their favour, claiming that "I was not disadvantaged". I will avoid any property which is accredited by TPO in the future.
April 2023 by Robert Grant
Very very disappointing service, their very first letter to me basically read "have you tried talking to someone who cares?" I tried for a while then gave up, I asked them to delete all the information and start over hoping we could have a fresh start and the second time they told me to "try talking to someone who cares". At that point I gave up. I can see clearly that no one at the property ombudsman has any actual qualifications, and they blatantly have no verifiable certified standards which means they are just a bunch of fakes trying to rip people off. Now I know them I can honestly say avoid them like the plague they are by far the least professional people I have ever encountered.
December 2022 by E L
I would save yourselves the hassle. This Ombudsman wouldn't know fairness if it jumped up and hit them in the face which is quite a lovely image given the absolutely shocking way it has treated me (the victim). It has taken forever for someone to be assigned and the 'senior evaluation adviser' is immediately showing bias towards the rogue agent and is showing absolutely no respect or regard - despite the clear breaches of property law and regulations. I won't bother again - I will go straight to court.
July 2022 by Thomas Collett
Waste of time. TPO don't have the power to meaningfully compensate losses, and did a poor job of assessing my complaint. I won't bore you with the details but my agents had already admitted fault for collapsing 2 sales but the compensation they offered didn't touch the sides of my losses for legal fees and other costs. Went to the TPO and they awarded only £350.
June 2022 by Shadowz (SA)
Poor. Very poor. And before they say "we have never heard of you" , or, " your email does not match our records". Don't bother. You are supposed to have backbone and be impartial to uphold the trade. You can't even do that. Telling me, " the case is closed", without even the correct finalisation of having to hand sign the part 1 (acceptance of decision) and bottling it. In fact, one should sue as you shouldn't be able to close the case without signature. As a landlord, we are being kicked left right and center. So for TPO to be impartial, is something everyone needs. Never forget that TPO. Oh, and it took 5 months. Looking at reviews, I can see why they have low ratings.Pathetic
June 2022 by Daisy
Bunch of liers. I am re posting my review on here after it has clearly been removed! I was told they had received me paperwork and email and telephone confirmation of this. They stick up for their customers and are not and not an independent service. Just take the terrible estate agents to small claims court do t waste your time with the bunch of amitures!
April 2022 by Libby Simpson
There was clear evidence I had been lied to and as a result was out of pocket. Four people told me this evidence existed - even a case advisory at the ombudsman?s office. Took the ombudsman took 6 months to say? this didn?t exist. Very strange? very huge waste of time and energy. Don?t bother go to the small claims court !
September 2021 by Ant Ac
massive waste of time, seems like estate agents can do what they want without facing any action. slow, and unhelpful is an understatement
July 2021 by Susheel Thakur
Firstly consumers like me complaint genuinely taking their time to pen down the concerns. Iam not legal expert when drafting my complaint and understand laws completely. I felt property ombudsman decision was impartial to an extent but doesn't resolve the complaint. Evidences, series of incidents leading to complaint are not fully investigated and some evidences where in my case ''Foxtons on 5th Mar 2020, their manager said will reply email to confirm acceptance of changes I. asked for in tenancy agreement are not acknowledge and honoured. leading to deficiency of service from Foxtons.'' This evidence of WhatsApp conversation and email exchanges was not considered by the investigator at your end before making final decision my case.Also draft copy of tenancy agreement not shared with me to review and accept. Before I pay the full rent and deposit to Foxtons- this is only factor you considered to conclude my case. This is as per ARLA guidance. Which is not good enough. Also when payment made via mobile app but documents upload happened via email. including referencing. So why consumer been forced to use mobile app for payment without having tenancy agreement.Factors such as not been able to find flat to rent during peak of COVID 19 situation on 11th March 2020 onward was not considered on compassionate grounds before granting any monetary compensation as total loss of being homeless, stress and expenses incurred being at hotel etc was over £1000 against the reward granted. Iam exhausted following up with complaint over 6months with an hope that justice will be done. And others like me won't be effected by expected action against Foxtons. Which never happened. Such forceful sales or letting agents need more training and disciplinary actions who put consumers like me at health risk and make home less. Also a reputed organisation should be advised to check their legal tenancy agreements which are biased against tenants. And dispute resolutions and escalation for consumer grievance at Foxtons should be more robust and prompt . none of these actions initiated in my complaint. So I wish to see these improvements. Else general public are at loss and such agencies will continue to do what they have done to me. Considering my case an exception. So I would like to hear from you on my feedback. As being general public I don't have source, means and time to pursue this case any more and hence give up. Most importantly please compensate people generously based on mental trauma they have gone through. As no one write for fun. Appreciate if you may revert soon with final thoughts. Thanks !
May 2021 by M DH
Spoke to Laura today and it's my first call to TPO. I am not one that leaves feedback but I felt it was necessary on this occasion. Laura has put me at such ease and has given me better understanding of my situation and how I can approach it. I am freehold owner with private space subject to management fees and this is now subject to lots of debate and has left us in a legal loophole. Laura is really kind and showed me great empathy in this challenging time. I am truly thankful for your help Laura.
May 2021 by Mc Lovin
Could be a lot better with offering advice consistency and really following through the regulations against the letting agents. Every landlords and tenants here have followed every single advice given by TPOS and they?re received nothing and the agents will always win on this. This is a one sided experience. The landlords and tenants experienced the TPOS are too slow to react and trying to end the complicated case with no patience and empathy from the tenants and landlords? enquiry. The agents will always do whatever they want and are getting away with not dealing with the complaints and twisting the words they?re doing nothing wrong. All landlords and tenants are the ones who are having to suffer from the unnecessary abuse from the agents and their awful services. All they want is their documents, rent arrears paid off and stress free hassle in the fairest way.
April 2021 by Joseph N
if your Agent is also your Landlord (on a Guaranteed Rental Scheme) then the TPO have no jurisdiction. Our Agent/Landlord acted fine in their 'Agent' duties but as the 'Landlord', the TPO found they were in fact in the wrong but couldn't do anything about it. Waste of time.
February 2021 by Sushil t
Firstly consumers like me complaint genuinely taking their time to pen down the concerns. Iam not legal expert when drafting my complaint and understand laws completely. I felt property ombudsman decision was impartial to an extent but doesn't resolve the complaint. Evidences, series of incidents leading to complaint are not fully investigated and some evidences where in my case ''Foxtons on 5th Mar 2020, their manager said will reply email to confirm acceptance of changes I. asked for in tenancy agreement are not acknowledge and honoured. leading to deficiency of service from Foxtons.'' This evidence of WhatsApp conversation and email exchanges was not considered by the investigator at your end before making final decision my case.Also draft copy of tenancy agreement not shared with me to review and accept. Before I pay the full rent and deposit to Foxtons- this is only factor you considered to conclude my case. This is as per ARLA guidance. Which is not good enough. Also when payment made via mobile app but documents upload happened via email. including referencing. So why consumer been forced to use mobile app for payment without having tenancy agreement.Factors such as not been able to find flat to rent during peak of COVID 19 situation on 11th March 2020 onward was not considered on compassionate grounds before granting any monetary compensation as total loss of being homeless, stress and expenses incurred being at hotel etc was over £1000 against the reward granted. Iam exhausted following up with complaint over 6months with an hope that justice will be done. And others like me won't be effected by expected action against Foxtons. Which never happened. Such forceful sales or letting agents need more training and disciplinary actions who put consumers like me at health risk and make home less. Also a reputed organisation should be advised to check their legal tenancy agreements which are biased against tenants. And dispute resolutions and escalation for consumer grievance at Foxtons should be more robust and prompt . none of these actions initiated in my complaint. So I wish to see these improvements. Else general public are at loss and such agencies will continue to do what they have done to me. Considering my case an exception. So I would like to hear from you on my feedback. As being general public I don't have source, means and time to pursue this case any more and hence give up. Most importantly please compensate people generously based on mental trauma they have gone through. As no one write for fun. Appreciate if you may revert soon with final thoughts. Thanks !
February 2021 by R H
I thought the Property Ombudsman would help us to hold an estate agent to account when the mistake they made cost us a sale and £1.5k in fees. The estate agent then lied to cover their tracks.Turns out TPO believed the lies and sided with the estate agents and we?re left out of pocket.This organisation is supposed to protect us from estate agents who lie and make mistakes. They?ve failed us and the estate agent gets away with it.No wonder this industry has a bad reputation.
