“From the outset my flatmate and I came across a ......”
1 Star Review
Jul 25,2014
By:
'1256'
Jul 25,2014
Branch: Southampton, Unit 8,The Blake Building Ocean Way, Ocean Village
Services: Lettings (as a Tenant)
Rent PCM: £875
Would you recommend?: No
Postcode: SO14
Branch: Southampton, Unit 8,The Blake Building Ocean Way, Ocean Village
Lettings (as a Tenant)
Rent PCM: £875
Postcode: SO14
3
people found
this helpful
From the outset my flatmate and I came across a wide range of issues when dealing with Leaders (Ocean village branch). Including over-zealous emailing to sign the lease, broken boiler when we moved in to the flat in November, the time period taken to fix other issues and unjustified charges from our deposit of which we won over 80% back through an adjudication service.
Neither of us were resident in Southampton at the time of setting up the 6-month lease, so the relevant paperwork and any communication concerning the lease was conducted via email. We were constantly sent emails chasing us to pay and fill in forms that often contradicted the previous emails. As my flatmate was originally only working for part of the 6-month lease (and you had to prove that you were fully-employed for the whole lease) one of my parents agreed to guarantor for her. Having filled in and returned the forms required my parents informed the member of staff that they were away for the weekend and if any problems arose, please email them next week. Over the course of the weekend 13 emails were sent that got increasingly abrupt, as the staff member had actually emailed across the wrong forms.
When we moved into the flat (first week of November), we discovered that there was no hot water. It then took over 5 working days for the boiler to be fixed. Although I understand that it takes time for the boiler to be inspected, the quote sent to the landlord to be approved, and the relevant parts to be ordered. The fact that no-one had checked the property before we moved is terrible, particularly as it was November and we were starting new jobs, as Leaders knew as they insist you must be employed to sign the lease. Leaders fully manage the property as our landlord lives abroad. Leaders claim that it was up to the landlord to check the property, as it had been empty before we moved in. When it was pointed out that our landlord lives abroad, they claimed the landlord's elderly parents should have checked the property, although we were under the impression they were being paid to fully manage the property.
Although I cannot confirm this, the inventory (dated the day before we moved in) we were given included almost 10 items (including a bed) that had been removed by the landlord and due to this I suspect no-one had entered the flat since our viewing, otherwise these items would have been removed from the inventory and potentially the faulty boiler noted.
After moving, many small but liveable issues appeared in the flat (broken extractor fans, inset lights not working, dodgy oven etc), which did all eventually get fixed but did take sometimes up to weeks of phone calls and emails to the 'property management team' chasing the issues.
Towards the end of the tenancy when our flat was being advertised, we had to remind the staff member organising viewings several times that we must be given 24 hours notice before a viewing. As for numerous occasions she sent an email in the evening for a viewing early the next day.
Finally when we moved out of the property, Leaders attempted to take a large chunk of money out of our deposit. Many of the charges were related to problems/breakages that we had reported and told were either added to the original inventory or in the system to be fixed so we wouldn't be charged. We started a dispute through the Tenancy Deposit Scheme and of the disputed amount Leaders attempted to charge they won under 20% of the money and over 80% was returned to us as the independent adjudicator felt they had no grounds to take money off the deposit.
What agent could do to change your mind?
If you are going to charge fees particularly at the beginning of the contract, the service received whilst signing the lease should be excellent or at least good.
Attached Filesnbsp;
Comment on agent fees
Although I disagree with paying fees to estate agents I feel the fee at the beginning of the tenancy was relative reasonable compared to the prices charged by other estate agents in the area. I do feel that for the money paid we should have got a better service, see the first couple of complaints above regarding signing of the lease and moving in.
However I think it is daylight robbery for the estate agent to charge ‚£60 to move out on the date which we had original signed and agreed to leave the property. If we had changed the date or rolled over the contract then I understand a charge may be associated to that. But the fact we moved out when we had agreed to at the beginning of the lease, returned every form and keys etc that was necessary, I think that charge is outrageous.
3
people found
this helpful
Was this helpful?
Yes