The Property Redress Reviews 

I could write a book as large as War And Peace on how awful they were, and to be clear, not just on the issues of the complaint itself, but also on the whole process and handling of it. Unbelievably bad.
One even suspects that it is intended to be so. After all, they have paying members to look after.
Don't waste your time with them, go legal.

Completely useless. Immediately closed my complaint because "we do not get involved when the letting agency is doing something illegal". Why else would anyone ever need your help, I don't get it.

I share this story out of deep shock and horror and without prejudice to assist others as well as myself, this is the truth. As a leaseholder in a block of flats in England, I’ve paid my service charge, ground rent, and buildings insurance (why do I pay that, it’s not my building) on the dot every time for 16 years. The Property Redress Scheme is one of three government authorised schemes that gives consumers of the Property Agent an escalated complaints procedure if they are unhappy with how their complaint has been dealt with by the Property Agent.
My second list of challenges to The PRS I will call them (the first was successful), took approximately 5 months to resolve. The result included the most serious mistake from them. They stated that I hadn’t provided enough evidence that my flat was “uninhabitable” in response to my claim for compensation, as I had to be out of my flat for 8 days whilst the damp work was done. The plastering specification stated that four out of five rooms were being done with old plaster removed creating dust everywhere. My body has a lung disease through living here, but no-one could have lived there throughout, as the bedroom had had everything removed, the living room had some furniture under cover in a corner, the bathroom had work done right by the toilet, and the hallway had work done on it.
Before my second claim, I checked with the Leasehold Advisory service and my own private legal advice, who both conveyed that as I was entitled to quiet enjoyment as stated in my lease, and I couldn’t receive quiet enjoyment whilst away for 8 days while the freeholders repaired rising damp (from their ground) and penetrating damp (through their walls). As lease-holder I am only responsible for the inner shell. The PRS caseworker did not even check with the builders that the flat was indeed uninhabitable. No evidence was submitted to me that the flat was habitable, and no-one suggested that the flat might be habitable during the whole process.
So the kitchen was the only room that didn’t require repairs. In my appeal to the PRS, I asked them where was I supposed to sleep? Also in their proposed decision, there was also two aspects where I was successful. Decorating, back to the state it was prior to repairs, and an amount for stress, both £100 awards. I’m thankful but I told them that it is a pittance. The decision stated that I did not provide decoration receipts. Who would provide them before a

decision was made, unless asked to? It then states in their terms that the amounts awarded cannot be challenged. So you have a key final award aspect within a proposed decision. I questioned this in my appeal, is this legal?
Finally, two or three times in the decision they mentioned to take my points to a first tier tribunal. Yet they are there to assist the consumer. I believe that one of these points was to do with finishing a little outside work. It took 5 months to tell me on certain points to go somewhere else. Why not tell me that information at the outset? Customer service?
My appeal to them was not answered at all. The final decision was the award of 2 x £100.00. No other statement. In my appeal I stated that this was an official, formal complaint about the case-worker, and then additionally I made the same about the top manager who completely ignored my appeal and complaints at the final decision. My complaints stand absolutely for perpetuity until common sense prevails.
They did not appear to be connected to what actually occurred or wish to find out. I am not political, but I am incensed. The worst decisions and service that I’ve ever experienced in my Life by millions. I never give up and I require help? It is unacceptable.
If you need to go to the PRS, please note what I’ve written. I also asked them, how do consumers know that their agent is part of a government authorised redress Scheme, and do they check whether it occurs. No answer as yet. I was yet to ask whether there’s such a scheme for residential freeholders too.
Re my damp, it’s now been 23 months since I formally asked to have it done, and 2 aspects still to do. The British government needs to thoroughly renew leasehold, and leasehold extension laws (it’s almost 6 months since I requested a lease extension, no agreement yet, I have not delayed it). Totally unacceptable again.Housing is a key part of healthy living. Great if laws can be rewritten fairly for the current day. Thank you, god luck in what you do that is creative.