Reviewed: 6 September 2026
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 will create a mandatory PRS Landlord Ombudsman in England, but landlords are not yet required to join it. The government expects mandatory membership in 2028, after the scheme administrator is selected and the service has time to scale up.
In this guide
What will the PRS Landlord Ombudsman do?
The new service is intended to offer tenants an alternative route for complaints about private landlords, with quick, fair, impartial and binding resolution. Government says it will also provide landlords with tools, guidance and training to resolve complaints early. Decisions may require an apology, remedial action or compensation, subject to the final scheme rules.
When will landlords have to join?
The government implementation roadmap places the Ombudsman in the later phase of the reforms. It says the service will be introduced after the PRS Database; a scheme administrator will be chosen at least 12 to 18 months before implementation; and mandatory membership is expected in 2028 once the service is ready. The membership charge and final joining process are to be confirmed closer to launch.
Do not confuse the future landlord Ombudsman with the redress requirement for letting agents and property managers. A landlord who uses an agent should still monitor the future landlord-membership rules when they are commenced.
Prepare a simple complaints process now
- Give tenants a clear contact route for repairs, safety concerns and complaints.
- Acknowledge complaints, investigate promptly and record the outcome.
- Keep dated copies of reports, photographs, contractor instructions, invoices and communications.
- Explain any decision in plain language and set a realistic next step or timescale.
- Review recurring issues, such as repairs, deposits, access or rent records, before they become disputes.
Good records will help resolve disputes whatever the final Ombudsman rules. They also support compliance with existing housing, safety and consumer obligations; the Ombudsman does not replace the courts, local authority enforcement or statutory possession procedures.
Letting agents and existing redress schemes
Letting agents and property managers already have separate legal redress-scheme obligations. Those schemes are not the same as the future PRS Landlord Ombudsman. Set out in the management agreement who handles tenant communications and complaints, but retain oversight of the landlord’s legal duties.
Related guides
Renters’ Rights Act guide | PRS Database guide | Landlord regulation guide
Bottom line: a national landlord Ombudsman is planned, not yet open for mandatory landlord membership. Improve complaint handling now and rely on the official rollout announcement for membership dates, fees and rules.
