What a redress scheme is, who needs to join one, what happens if you do not join.
Redress schemes give tenants and landlords in the private rented sector a way to escalate a complaint, if they're unhappy with how you've dealt with it.
Under the Redress Schemes for Lettings Agency Work and Property Management Work (Requirement to Belong to a Scheme etc) (England) Order 2014, a person who engages in lettings agency or property management work must be a member of an approved redress scheme.
There are two approved redress schemes for lettings agents and property managers:
Our section on publication requirements has information on your duty to publish the details of your scheme membership.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) have produced a guidance document on the requirement for letting agents and property managers in England to belong to an approved redress scheme.
If you don't join a redress scheme
If you engage in residential lettings agency or property management work and haven't joined one of the two approved redress schemes, you may get a monetary penalty (fine) of up to £5,000 by:
- your local authority
- NTSELAT
See our section on what happens if you don't comply with the law for more information.
Get advice about redress scheme membership
If you're not sure whether you need to be a member of a redress scheme, you can get advice from:
- your local authority trading standards service
- your professional body or trade association
- an independent legal adviser
