Complaints
Agents must be registered with an independent organisation for dealing with complaints. The logo of the complaints redress scheme they belong to must be displayed.
Making a complaint about your letting agent
If your agent does not treat you fairly and with respect, you can complain to their ‘redress scheme’. The redress scheme can investigate your complaint and order the agent to change their behaviour or pay you compensation. If the agent does not do what they say, they can disqualify the agent – which makes it illegal for them to trade.
Two organisations investigate complaints against lettings agents, and your agent can decide which scheme to join:
Every letting agent must belong to one of these complaints redress schemes. The agent must display clearly which scheme it belongs to.
The council can fine agents up to £5,000 for not belonging to one of these schemes, or for not displaying which scheme they belong to, or for falsely displaying membership of a scheme which they do not belong to.
For further information about your rights when dealing with letting agents, please see:
- Shelter information on letting agent fees for tenants
- Citizens Advice Bureau renting from a letting agency advice
Take action
The council can fine agents £5,000 if they do not properly display their membership of a redress scheme. If your agent is not displaying a logo, or if you discover they are displaying a logo of a scheme do not belong to, please report this to the council.