THE number of angry tenants and landlords complaining to the UK’s Property Ombudsman has shot up.

Financial awards paid out rose to £1.36 million, an increase of 11 per cent, in the last year.

Over the same time period, the tally of complaints to the ombudsman increased by three per cent.

The Property Ombudsman (TPO) annual report reveals that the top causes of lettings complaints were management, communication and record keeping, tenancy agreements, inventories, and deposits.

The most frequent complaints in the sales sector were communication, marketing and advertising, along with instructions and terms of business.

The current Property Ombudsman, Katrine Sporle, said disputes should be solved as quickly and easily as possible.

“Our Early Resolution approach seeks to resolve straightforward disputes quickly and our Adjudication Service is wholly focused on fair and reasonable outcomes,” she said.

“Our primary focus has always been on providing expert advice and quality outcomes.”

In the lettings sector 2,212 formal complaints were resolved, 11 per cent more than 2016.

Of these, some 67 per cent of complaints were supported by the Ombudsman, 49 per cent of complaints were made by landlords, 45 per cent were made by tenants and the average lettings award was £625.

For the second year running, the regions with the highest volume of complaints were Greater London at 23 per cent, the South East at 20 per cent, and the North West at 11 per cent.

In the sales sector, 1,098 formal complaints were resolved, 16 per cent fewer than 2016.