The organisation which provides ombudsman services to the RICS handled just 464 complaints last year, with three-quarters being upheld.
Ombudsman Services also handles complaints relating to the communications, energy and copyright licensing sectors, but with the biggest group by far being the RICS property firms.
Altogether, the company resolved 18,273 complaints last year, of which 11,200 related to communications, 6,608 related to energy, 464 about property and none about copyright licensing. Overall there was an 11% rise in communications complaints, an 18% rise in property complaints and a 21% rise in energy complaints.
The company handles complaints about 618 communications companies, 58 energy companies and 7,835 property firms. Of those RICS firms, 97% provide surveying services, 2% manage residential blocks, 2% provide estate agency services and just 1% offer lettings.
Valuations and surveys caused 57% of all property complaints to Ombudsman Services, followed by property management (19%), residential sales (8%), residential management agency (7%), professional advice (5%) and ‘other’ (4%).
The complaints relating to residential sales were mainly to do with fees, whether the service promised was delivered, and property descriptions.
Ombudsman Services reported that people are complaining more, with an overall rise of 24% in the number of initial inquiries. In the property sector, there were 7,466 initial complaints, up from 5,843 the year before. Only 20% of initial complaints last year could be considered, usually because they were non-members.
Altogether, awards were made against RICS members in 75% of cases.
Speaking at an event at the House of Lords to launch the report, Chief Ombudsman Lewis Shand Smith said: “The expectation of the availability of effective independent redress is now a part of everyday life. This is shown in the increasing volume of complaints that we are seeing.
“Consumer protection and redress are also high on the agendas of the UK Government and the European Union. Ombudsman Services has a key role to play in supporting the existing and developing needs for redress.”
Comments
We wrote to Lewis Shand Smith to complain about the ombudsman and Lewis passed the complaint back to the ombudsman who didn't answer complaint.
The buck doesn't appear to stop at the Chief Ombudsman's table.
For the consumer using OS:Property is a bit like walking into a casino and finding all the tables are rigged.
75% guilty, what others have such terrible record?
...."Chief Ombudsman Lewis Shand Smith said: “The expectation of the availability of effective independent redress is now a part of everyday life. This is shown in the increasing volume of complaints that we are seeing...".
Of course! As it costs nothing to officially complain increasing volumes are not surprising and many are spurious and have no real basis at all. However it does cost a firm money and time to defend.
Anything like this that is free to use will eventually be abused.