Property Redress provides an independent, impartial service for landlords and letting agents to resolve complaints and ensure professional standards in property management are upheld. Our role is to investigate complaints fairly, assess whether services meet reasonable standards, and, where appropriate, offer guidance and awards for poor service.

Through our work, we often see how poor communication, inadequate record keeping, and failure to act on anti-social behaviour (ASB) can create unnecessary stress for landlords and risks for the wider community. The following case highlights these issues in practice.

The case study

A landlord had instructed an agent to fully manage a property let eight months prior. The tenant had passed initial referencing with no issues.

Over six months, the landlord received repeated complaints from neighbours about late-night parties and gatherings in communal areas. Every complaint was forwarded to the agent with repeated requests to intervene. Each time, the agent reassured the landlord that the situation was “being monitored.”

The landlord later discovered that the Environmental Health team had issued a formal noise warning addressed to them as the property owner, causing significant stress and anxiety. When the landlord requested that the agent serve notice on the tenant, there was no immediate response. Only after chasing the agent twice was notice eventually served - two months after the initial request.

The agent’s response

The agent claimed they had received only “one or two” reports of ASB and had attempted a single email to the tenant, which went unanswered. They had no record of the additional complaints forwarded by the landlord and suggested the Environmental Health warning was “standard procedure,” implying the landlord may have overreacted.

Although the agent acknowledged minor technical issues with their phoneline, they stated these did not affect service delivery. They were unable to provide evidence of any investigations, warnings, call logs, or escalation activity. The agent did not receive the landlord’s initial request to serve notice but acted as soon as they became aware of the third email.

Investigation and evidence

Our investigation considered:

• Emails from neighbours reporting repeated late-night parties

• Complaints forwarded by the landlord to the agent

• Copies of requests for escalation

• Environmental Health correspondence confirming a noise complaint and formal warning

• The tenancy agreement, which included clauses prohibiting nuisance and requiring reasonable behaviour

• Agent logs, which recorded only one ASB entry despite multiple reports

The evidence showed that eight reports of ASB were sent to the agent, yet only one was recorded. Only a single email was sent to the tenant, with no follow-up. Environmental Health issued a noise abatement notice after three months, which the tenant ignored. The landlord emailed the agent three times requesting notice to be served; it was only actioned two months later.

Findings and outcome

It was concluded that the agent:

• Failed to act on multiple ASB reports despite contractual obligations

• Did not investigate appropriately, issue warnings, or take proportionate steps

• Maintained incomplete records, leaving the landlord unaware of actions taken

• Provided inaccurate assurances that the situation was being monitored

• Failed to protect the landlord’s interests, resulting in unnecessary Environmental Health involvement

The complaint was upheld. The agent was directed to compensate the landlord £1,000 for poor service, distress, and inconvenience, and was encouraged to implement a reasonable ASB policy and comply with it.

Sean Hooker, Head of Property Redress has said:

“These sorts of cases also highlight the importance of regular inspections, as during these you can pick up on any problems developing and deal with these promptly and effectively. You will also have a clear audit trail. If a tenant does not allow access or is not cooperating, this could highlight untenant like or antisocial behaviour. No news is not always good news so agents should ensure they provide a report to their landlords, regardless of whether there are problems or not.

Finally, landlords, do not just let and forget, ask for updates from your agent on the tenancy on a periodic basis and ensure you understand what is going on. This will help avoid nasty surprises and for both a landlord and agent avoid any nasty surprises.”

Lessons learned

This case demonstrates the importance of clear record-keeping, timely action, and transparent communication. Agents should maintain centralised ASB logs, investigate all complaints promptly, issue written warnings, and keep landlords regularly informed.

Landlords retain responsibilities too. Without an agent, they must treat neighbour reports seriously, log complaints, assess severity, contact tenants promptly, and escalate where necessary. When a fully managed service is in place, operational responsibility rests with the agent, but landlords must provide oversight to ensure delegated duties are fulfilled.

Need support? Contact Property Redress today.