Tenant complaints against letting agents rocket

Tenant complaints against letting agents in the UK have seen a significant increase, rising by nearly 50% in the past year. This surge highlights growing challenges within the lettings sector as agents face expanding responsibilities and heightened tenant awareness of their rights. Understanding these trends is essential for landlords and property professionals aiming to maintain compliance and deliver quality service.

Sharp Rise in Tenant Complaints

Recent data from tenancy management platform Propoly reveals that tenant complaints against letting agents escalated from 2,863 in 2024 to 4,220 in 2025, marking a 47.4% increase. This follows a 19.6% rise the previous year, indicating a sustained upward trend. With approximately 19,000 agency professionals operating across the UK—around 75% of whom are involved in lettings—this increase reflects broader sector pressures rather than isolated issues.

The most frequent grievances relate to poor service management, disputes over holding deposits, and rent payment concerns. These areas remain focal points for tenant dissatisfaction, underscoring the importance of clear communication and transparent processes in tenancy management.

Impact of the Renters’ Rights Act on Complaints

The introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) is expected to further influence complaint volumes. The Act enhances tenant protections and awareness, encouraging tenants to assert their rights more confidently. Letting agents are consequently encountering increased scrutiny and expectations, which may contribute to the rise in reported issues.

Sim Sekhon, Chief Executive of Propoly, suggests that while the rise in complaints partly reflects agents’ expanding duties, it does not necessarily indicate a decline in service quality. Instead, agents may be stretched thin due to growing compliance and administrative demands, limiting the time available to focus on tenant experience.

Early Resolution of Complaints

Despite the increase in complaints, a positive development is that a majority are resolved promptly. In 2025, 53% of complaints were settled at an early stage, up from 50% in 2024. This improvement suggests that many agents are effectively addressing tenant concerns before they escalate into formal disputes.

Specifically, 2,237 complaints reached early resolution last year, compared to 1,432 the year before. Early resolution not only benefits tenants but also helps landlords maintain steady rental income by reducing disputes and minimising void periods.

Challenges Facing Letting Agents

Letting agents are balancing increasing regulatory requirements alongside the need to provide high-quality tenant services. The administrative burden associated with compliance, including adherence to the RRA, can detract from time spent on tenant engagement and service delivery. This dynamic may contribute to some complaints, even where agents are operating competently.

Agents must navigate complex legislation while managing tenant expectations, which are rising as awareness of rights grows. This environment requires robust systems and clear communication channels to mitigate misunderstandings and maintain positive landlord-tenant relationships.

What this means for landlords

Landlords should be aware that the rise in tenant complaints against letting agents may affect their rental operations. Choosing agents with strong compliance frameworks and effective tenant communication strategies is increasingly important to reduce disputes and ensure smooth tenancy management. Landlords may also need to engage more closely with their agents to monitor complaint trends and address issues proactively.

Furthermore, the Renters’ Rights Act means tenants are better informed and more likely to challenge perceived shortcomings. Landlords should check that their agents are fully prepared for these changes and are equipped to handle complaints efficiently. Maintaining clear, documented processes around deposits, rent collection, and property management can help minimise potential conflicts.

What TLA members should consider

• Review and select letting agents with proven track records in complaint resolution and tenant communication.
• Ensure agents have robust compliance procedures in place to manage the additional workload from the Renters’ Rights Act.
• Maintain regular communication with agents to stay informed about tenant issues and complaint trends.
• Encourage agents to prioritise early resolution of tenant complaints to reduce escalation and potential void periods.
• Provide agents with access to training and resources to support compliance and service quality improvements.
• Consider using TLA’s resources and training to stay updated on legislative changes and best practices in tenancy management.

TLA Training Academy

The Landlord Association provides structured guidance, compliance education and practical support for landlords, letting agents and property professionals. Members can access training and resources designed to help them stay organised, informed and prepared.

Landlords can explore the Academy here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/tla-academy/

Those looking to join and access member support can register here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/get-started-with-the-landlord-association/

TLA update

The Landlord Association is continuing to expand its support, resources and partner network for landlords, tenants, agents and property professionals across the UK. Service providers interested in working with TLA can register their interest here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/become-a-tla-service-partner/