Ombudsman to hold Rightmove webinar as redress race hots up

The Property Ombudsman, Katrine Sporle, is to hold a briefing on the government’s redress reform on Wednesday - five days before the official consultation period comes to an end.

Earlier this year the government launched what was, to many observers, a surprise consultation exercise with the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government seeking views on its options including:

- introducing a single housing ombudsman to cover the whole of the housing market;

- builders being required to join an ombudsman scheme, following on our commitment to expand redress to tenants of private landlords;

- naming and shaming poor practice to help tackle the worst abuses.

Since that time there has been some informal jostling for position between TPO and rival organisation Ombudsman Services.

The latter recently announced it was quitting its role as one of three approved redress schemes for estate and lettings agents, and launched a consumer exercise to assess public views about the wider property industry. It concluded its consumer exercise - called Building Balance - on Thursday of last week.

Ombudsman Services is a not-for-profit organisation - already the largest multi-sector ombudsman in the UK - and pledges to work with charities, consumer groups and property professionals on the best way to make complaining in the sector work better for everyone involved.

Now Katrine Sporle is taking to Rightmove between 2.30pm and 3.15pm on Wednesday this week to talk agents through the consultation process and answer questions. 

“As agents in the sector, this will affect you directly, and we would encourage you to respond to the consultation in your own way to ensure that your voice is heard” says TPO in a statement announcing the webinar.

You can see the government consultation here and sign up for the Rightmove webinar here.