The Property Ombudsman has announced the appointment of Mark McLaren to the TPO council.

He joins following nine years with Which?

The role of the TPO council is to ensure the ombudsman’s independence, set the ombudsman’s terms of reference and approve the organisation’s budget.

McLaren’s role also includes working on the Disciplinary and Standards Committee to help deal with the small number of member agents who breach the scheme’s approved Codes of Practice and/or fail to meet their obligations as TPO members.

McLaren’s previous role at Which? directly involved the work that led to both estate agents (in 2008) and letting agents (in 2014) being required to join an independent redress scheme.

McLaren is now a freelance policy and public affairs consultant.

He said: “Given my past experience and involvement with the legislation that made it a legal requirement for estate agents and letting agents to belong to a redress scheme, I am truly delighted to join the TPO council and be a part of the largest redress scheme in the property sector.

“I’m really looking forward to using my knowledge of the industry in my new role, and working with the rest of the council to continue the TPO’s success.”

McLaren, pictured, joins as Noel Hunter departs, standing down from his role as vice-chairman of the TPO council.

Hunter has recently been elected chair of Myton Hospice, a charity in Warwickshire, and plans to devote more of his time to this cause.