Private rented sector landlord ombudsman

The landlord ombudsman for private renting in England is not compulsory yet. The Renters' Rights Act lets the government require every private landlord to join a landlord redress scheme, and the framework regulations came into force on 17 September 2026, but membership is only expected to become mandatory in 2028. The fee and the organisation that will run it have not been confirmed.

What is the landlord ombudsman?

Sections 64 to 74 of the Renters' Rights Act 2025 create a power to set up a landlord redress scheme for the private rented sector and to require landlords to belong to it. A redress scheme gives tenants an independent route for complaints about their landlord, without going to court. It is usually called the private rented sector landlord ombudsman.

The Act itself only sets the framework. Who must join, what it costs, how complaints work and what the ombudsman can require all depend on regulations and scheme rules, most of which have not been made yet.

The scheme covers private landlords in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements.

When will the landlord ombudsman start?

Step	Date	Status on 25 October 2026
Renters' Rights Act receives Royal Assent	27 October 2025	Done. The ombudsman sections are in force only for making regulations
Framework regulations (SI 2026/1033) on approving and designating redress schemes	Made 16 September 2026, in force 17 September 2026	In force
Scheme administrator appointed	12 to 18 months before mandatory sign-up (roadmap)	Not confirmed
Fee set	Not announced	Not set
Mandatory membership for private landlords	2028 (roadmap)	Expected

The roadmap places the ombudsman after the landlord database, which opens region by region from 15 December 2026 until 14 November 2027. These dates are plans and could change. We'll update this page when each one is confirmed.

What will membership mean for landlords?

What we know from the Act:

• regulations under section 64 can require private landlords to be members of a scheme;
• breaking those regulations, for example by not joining once membership is required, can lead to a civil penalty of up to £7,000 (section 66);
• some breaches can become a criminal offence (section 67), with a civil penalty of up to £40,000 as the alternative to prosecution;
• rent repayment orders linked to the ombudsman offences are in the Act but not in force.

What is not yet known:

• which organisation will run the scheme;
• the membership fee;
• how complaints will be handled, and what the ombudsman will be able to require of a landlord;
• whether membership will be linked to getting a possession order.

We'll add these details as soon as the government publishes them.

Penalties once membership is required

Breach	Maximum penalty	Status
Breach of the membership regulations	£7,000 civil penalty	Not in force
Offence under section 67	Prosecution, or a civil penalty of up to £40,000 instead	Not in force
Rent repayment orders for ombudsman offences	A rent repayment order	Not in force

Penalties would be imposed by your council, using the same notice of intent, representations and appeal process as other Renters' Rights Act penalties. Every amount is in our guide to Renters' Rights Act fines.

How does it fit with the database, councils and courts?

The two new national schemes come in a set order:

1. The landlord database first, from 15 December 2026. Every let property must be registered by 14 November 2027. See the private rented sector database.
2. The ombudsman second, expected in 2028.

Until the scheme rules are published, plan on the basis that today's routes stay in place: councils enforce standards and impose penalties, the county court decides possession claims, and the First-tier Tribunal decides rent-increase challenges.

What to watch for next

Three announcements will tell you the ombudsman is getting close:

• The scheme administrator. The roadmap says it will be appointed 12 to 18 months before sign-up becomes mandatory. If membership starts in 2028, expect news of the appointment during 2026 or 2027.
• The fee. Nothing has been published. Budget for one, but don't pay anyone who claims to sign you up early.
• The membership regulations. These will make joining compulsory and start the £7,000 penalty. They have not been made yet.

The database deadline of 14 November 2027 is the last scheduled step before the ombudsman.

How to prepare now

You don't need to do anything to comply yet. These steps cost little and will make any future complaint easier to deal with:

1. Write down a simple complaints process. Tell tenants how to report a problem and how quickly you will reply, for example in a welcome pack.
2. Keep a repairs log. Record each report, the date you responded and the date the work was finished. The same record helps with the Decent Homes Standard and, once it applies to private rentals, Awaab's Law.
3. Put your tenancy paperwork in one place. The written statement of terms, proof you gave the Information Sheet, deposit protection details and current safety certificates.
4. Reply in writing. Emails and letters give you a dated record if a complaint escalates.
5. Register on the database in your region's window. The ombudsman is expected to follow it.

Watch out: some websites describe ombudsman fees, deadlines or powers as if they were settled. As of 25 October 2026, the government has not confirmed any of them.

What to do next

Track the dates that are confirmed today: your database window, your certificate renewals and your Information Sheet record. Our compliance reminders keep them in one place, and we'll add ombudsman membership once it is required. For the full list of dates, see the Renters' Rights Act timeline or go back to the Renters' Rights Act hub.