Note: Articles on the Renters’ Rights Bill will be continuously updated as details emerge
Last updated 27 October 2025
The Renters’ Rights Bill retains the proposal for a new landlord ombudsman first introduced under the earlier Renters (Reform) Bill. Under the current Bill, all private landlords in England with assured or regulated tenancies including those using managing agents will be legally required to register with a Private Rented Sector Ombudsman service.
The Bill also continues the plan to align this requirement with a national Private Rented Sector Database (sometimes described as a “Property Portal”), so that landlords can submit their information just once.
The Government has indicated that membership of the ombudsman scheme will involve a fee, though the exact level of the fee has not yet been confirmed and will be developed in consultation with the ombudsman body and industry stakeholders.
Implementation of the Bill is planned to follow Royal Assent and is expected to take effect in 2026, giving landlords and agents time to prepare for the changes.
The creation of this ombudsman is aimed at supporting quicker and cheaper resolution when there are disputes – preventing them escalating to costly court proceedings by providing fair, impartial and binding resolution, to both landlords and tenants, and reducing the need to go to court.
The ombudsman will be expected to resolve consumer disputes on a number of matters, including whether it is reasonable for a landlord to prevent a tenant keeping a pet at the property.
It will also be able to offer tenancy mediation to landlords and tenants to resolve disputes when initiated by landlords. This is a service already offered by the Property Redress tenancy mediation service, which may be able to link directly with the new ombudsman.
Membership of the new ombudsman will be a legal requirement for landlords, and the Bill includes robust enforcement measures to enable local councils to be able to take action against landlords who fail to join. This will include civil penalties of up to £7,000 for initial breaches and up to £40,000 or criminal prosecution for continuing or repeated breaches. Landlords, who do not register on the database will not be able to get a possession order except if the ground under which possession is sought is ground 7A or ground 14 (tenant anti-social behaviour). In addition, tenants will be able to seek rent repayment orders against their landlord if the landlord commits an offence by persistently failing to join the ombudsman service.
The new ombudsman for landlords will be in addition to the two schemes that exist to handle complaints by tenants and landlords about letting agents, The Property Ombudsman and the Property Redress . These government -approved schemes arbitrate complaints and offer binding redress. They are compulsory for agents to join if they want to trade legally, and agents must comply with each scheme’s adjudicator-led decisions.
“We agree with the principle of a single route for tenants to access effective and affordable complaint resolution.”
“However, I cannot see how trying to solve the issue of consumer confusion, by introducing yet another ombudsman, is practical or will benefit anyone. Instead, integrating landlord redress and plugging the gaps - such as rent to rent - into the existing process is the way forward, incorporating mediation but having a single, accessible entry point, with assistance, guidance and signposting.”
- Sean Hooker, Head of Redress at Property Redress
Sean Hooker, who has had a lot of input with the Government on the introduction of landlord redress and the form landlord registration will take, believes these are positive changes that will help address the gap in dispute resolution for tenants whose landlords do not use an agent, or where the issues fall under the obligations of the landlord and not their agent. He also highlights that the final details of exactly what will be put in place have yet to be revealed and the Government is still working on the model.
“We at the Property Redress will work with them to help develop a joined-up and easily accessible system that helps raise standards in the sector and provides the reassurance and protection to the tenant that is needed.”
- Sean Hooker, Head of Redress at Property Redress
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