The PRS Landlord Ombudsman: what it means for you before 2028
Phase 2 of the Renters' Rights Act brings two new duties for private landlords in England: registering on the PRS Database, and joining the PRS Landlord Ombudsman. They get blurred together since they arrive around the same time, but the database is about your property's record, while the Ombudsman is about what happens when a tenant is unhappy with you. Government gave its clearest picture yet of how it will work in July 2026.
What is the PRS Landlord Ombudsman?
The PRS Landlord Ombudsman will be a free, government-backed redress service for private tenants in England. It will be delivered by the Housing Ombudsman Service, the body that already resolves social housing complaints, with the longer-term aim of one consistent framework across both sectors.
Its job is to settle disputes between tenant and landlord quickly and cheaply, with a decision binding on you, instead of going to court. Crucially, it covers you personally, even with a letting agent - agents already belong to a scheme like the Property Ombudsman for their own conduct, but a complaint about something that is genuinely the landlord's responsibility has had nowhere formal to go. The new Ombudsman closes that gap.
When do you actually have to join?
Development happens in two stages. Stage 1 is administrative: the Secretary of State approves a scheme administrator, which then needs time to scale up, starting roughly 12 to 18 months before landlords must join. Stage 2 is mandatory sign-up, expected in 2028, once the database has bedded in. No exact joining date has been confirmed as of August 2026, but landlords will get sufficient notice before membership becomes compulsory - there is nothing to apply for yet.
What tenants can actually complain about
Expect the Ombudsman to take on everyday landlord-conduct complaints with nowhere formal to go today: repair and maintenance failures, deposit disputes, breaches of the tenancy agreement, and a refused pet request. It is free for tenants, and mediation is offered alongside formal rulings, so not every complaint ends in a binding decision. It will not replace the courts for the big issues - possession claims stay with the county court, and a tenant wanting more than the cap allows can still sue you instead.
What it can order you to do
Where a complaint is upheld, the decision is binding on you. It can require an apology, remedial action, or compensation, capped at £25,000 per case - deliberately aligned with the existing cap for mandatory letting agent redress schemes rather than a new figure. A tenant wanting a higher award can still go to court instead, and the cap will be reviewed within five years of the scheme starting.
If you do not join
Membership will not be optional, and local councils will be able to enforce it.
| Situation | What happens | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| First failure to join | Civil penalty from the council | Up to £7,000 |
| Continued or repeated non-compliance | Higher civil penalty, or criminal prosecution in serious cases | Up to £40,000 |
| Persistent failure to join | Tenant can apply for a rent repayment order against you | Up to 2 years' rent |
That rent repayment order route sits alongside the wider penalties in our guide to rent repayment orders, which explains how the 2-year cap works.
How it will be funded
Landlords will pay to be a member, through what government calls a fair and proportionate charging model - the exact fee is unconfirmed, expected closer to launch. Government is also exploring linking Ombudsman sign-up with your PRS Database registration, so you are not entering the same details twice.
Not the same thing as the PRS Database
It is worth keeping the two apart, since they get mentioned in the same breath. Our PRS Database guide covers registration: your property record, certificates, and the £7,000 to £40,000 penalty for not signing up. This guide covers redress: what happens once a tenant complains. Both sit inside Phase 2, covered together in our full Renters' Rights Act timeline, but they launch on different schedules.
What to do now
There is nothing to sign up for yet. The most useful preparation is tightening up how you already handle complaints: respond to repair and pet requests in writing, keep a record of tenant conversations that matter, and deal with deposit disputes properly rather than letting them drift. None of that is new advice, but it is the paper trail that matters once an Ombudsman can review your conduct - and it costs nothing to start now.
Keep every compliance date in one place
Our Complete Landlord Pack bundles your agreement, notices and a compliance calendar, so registrations and deadlines like this one do not creep up on you.
See the Complete Landlord Pack →Frequently asked questions
What is the PRS Landlord Ombudsman? The PRS Landlord Ombudsman is a free redress service for private tenants in England, introduced under Phase 2 of the Renters' Rights Act. It will be delivered by the Housing Ombudsman Service and can make binding decisions on disputes with your landlord, without going to court.
When do I have to join the PRS Landlord Ombudsman? Mandatory sign-up is expected in 2028, after the PRS Database is established. Government has not yet confirmed an exact date, but has said landlords will be given sufficient notice and clear guidance before membership becomes compulsory.
How much compensation can the Ombudsman order me to pay? Compensation is capped at £25,000 per case, a figure aligned with the existing cap for mandatory letting agent redress schemes. A tenant who believes a higher award is justified can still take their case to court instead.
What happens if I do not join? Councils can issue a civil penalty of up to £7,000 for an initial failure to join, rising to £40,000 or criminal prosecution for continued non-compliance. A tenant can also apply for a rent repayment order if you persistently fail to join.
This guide is general information for landlords in England, not legal advice for your specific circumstances. The Ombudsman scheme has not launched yet - check GOV.UK for the latest confirmed dates before relying on any timeline here.