Property Redress Scheme vs The Property Ombudsman: Which Covers Your Agent?

The Two Approved Schemes

Since October 2014, every estate agent and letting agent in England must by law be a member of one of two government-approved redress schemes:

1. The Property Ombudsman (TPO) — tpos.co.uk

2. The Property Redress Scheme (PRS) — theprs.co.uk

Both cover complaints from buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants. Both are free to use. Both can award up to £25,000 in compensation. The key question is simply: which scheme has your agent joined?

In Wales and Scotland, the same legal requirement applies, and both schemes operate across Great Britain (Northern Ireland has separate arrangements).

How to Find Out Which Scheme Your Agent Belongs To

Method 1: Check the agent's documentation

Every agent must display their scheme membership prominently on their website, in their offices, and in all consumer-facing materials. Look for the TPO or PRS logo and a membership number.

Method 2: Search the scheme registers

• TPO member search: tpos.co.uk/find-a-member
• PRS member search: theprs.co.uk/consumers/find-a-member

Method 3: Ask directly

Agents are legally required to tell you which scheme they belong to. A refusal to answer is itself a breach of the regulations.

What if they're not listed on either?

This is a criminal offence. Report the agent to your local council's Trading Standards team. You can find them via the Citizens Advice website.

Key Differences Between TPO and PRS

Scale and History

TPO is the larger and older of the two schemes, having been established in 1990 (originally as the Ombudsman for Estate Agents). It covers the majority of high street chains and many online agents. PRS was established in 2014 and tends to have more smaller, independent agency members.

Awards and Compensation

Both schemes have a maximum award ceiling of £25,000. In practice, awards above £5,000 are relatively unusual — most awards for distress and inconvenience fall in the £100–£500 range, with higher awards reserved for significant, demonstrable financial loss.

Codes of Practice

TPO operates under its own detailed Codes of Practice — one for residential sales, one for lettings, one for commercial property, and so on. These are publicly available on the TPO website and set out exactly what agents are expected to do.

PRS members are bound by the PRS Complaint Handling Rules and must also comply with relevant legislation and industry best practice. The PRS publishes guidance on what constitutes acceptable agent conduct.

Process and Timelines

Both schemes require you to exhaust the agent's internal complaints procedure (usually an 8-week process) before they will accept your complaint. Both have a 12-month time limit from the agent's final response.

The PRS aims to resolve cases within 90 days of receiving all necessary information. TPO's average resolution time is broadly similar, though complex cases can take longer.

Binding Nature

Both schemes' awards are binding on the agent (if you accept them). Neither is binding on the consumer — you can reject an award and pursue court action instead.

Which Should You Prefer?

You do not choose your scheme — you go to whichever scheme your agent has joined. If your agent belongs to TPO, you use TPO. If they belong to PRS, you use PRS.

The practical experience of using either scheme is broadly similar. Focus your energy on the quality of your evidence rather than which scheme applies.

If Your Agent Has Switched Schemes

Occasionally an agent may have changed scheme membership since you instructed them. In this case, the scheme that covers your complaint is the one the agent belonged to at the time the events complained of occurred, not the one they currently belong to.

Property Passport UK and Your Complaint

Whichever scheme you use, your case will be decided on written evidence. Property Passport UK allows you to store and retrieve dated property records, correspondence, and documents. Exporting this evidence to support your submission — whether to TPO or PRS — can significantly strengthen your case.