Property leaders and interested groups in the UK are investigating the establishment of a single, national ‘property ombudsman’ to deal with consumer complaints.

The new property ombudsman would act as a single point of entry or one stop shop for any consumer requiring access to redress in the property sector.

The current structure of the industry presents consumers with a confusing array of alternatives if they wish to complain about professional property services.

Many different redress schemes cover the house buying, selling or letting processes.

A national property ombudsman would mean that these schemes could continue, but they would work together to provide consumers with a single point of entry and an easy route to the right ombudsman for their problem.

At a meeting held on 17 October 2005, chaired by Louis Armstrong, CEO RICS, the group agreed that a working group be established to look at how and by when the ?property ombudsman? could be delivered.

Participants issued the following statement:

“For some time there has been a glaring need for an easy route to redress in the property industry and a simplification of the process for consumers. Today we moved a step closer to achieving this.

“Our discussions today begin a process that should benefit consumers and demonstrate that this industry has a fair and professional approach to the interests of its customers.

“A single ‘property ombudsman,’ encompassing the existing schemes of the Association of Residential Letting Agents, National Association of Estate Agents, RICS, Ombudsman for Estate Agents and the Housing Ombudsman, while integrating a number of current government initiatives, would provide the clarity and reassurance consumers need when seeking redress.”