0% sales valuation accuracy
0% sales fee satisfaction
0% lettings valuation accuracy
33% lettings fee satisfaction
Feb 20,2009
Feb 20,2009
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WHERE DO I START!!! This estate agent prioritises making money for Romans over looking after the customer and their property.
I used them for 18months before transferring to Village Properties who have been EXCELLENT.
I have had to seek compensation twice from Romans for (1) not complying their their agreement, and (2) carrying out substandard maintenance. Let me clarify....
The first tenant we got in the property was recommended by Romans as the 'best option' out of a list of tenants. They gave him keys to our property before the deposit had cleared [against their terms] and subsequently the deposit cheque bounced. The tenant then did not pay rent for 12 months and there was nothing we could do to get them out, until we finally took it to court (had to pay for this ourselves, despite it being Romans' fault). So it cost us 12 months rent + GBP5000 court fees to get him out of the property (although court said he had to pay he just disappeared into thin air and has never paid us). Romans were absolutely useless throughout the process and to be honest, they really didn't care about our situation as it wasn't making them any money.
The next tenant they got in paid 12 months up front - GREAT, I thought, thinking this one would be trouble free. However, our neighbours said there were all sorts of activities going on in the property. Romans are supposed to do property checks every 6 months, but they didn't do this and at the end of the tenancy, we were told the property was in good order. We then flew back to UK and went to stay in our property for xmas, only to open the door and see the house i a COMPLETE STATE.... I'm talking blood on walls; our brand news carpets absolutely ruined (didn't even get clean after professional cleaning), our security fence at the back of the property hacked down and much more. We were devastated - particularly as Romans had told us the property was in good condition!! They actually put it back on the market like this - no wonder it hadn't been snapped up straight away: they'd actually told us to reduce the rental price saying that the market was just quieter!!! NOT quieter, just that people looking around would have thought it was a squat - certainly not the state a 4 bed detached property at GBP1350/month should be in!
We spent our family xmas visit to UK, getting the property straight again; and got Romans to fix the fence at the back. We were back in Sydney by the time they fixed the fenced and when we got the confirmation from Romans that it was completed, I asked them was it in as good order as it was in the beginning. 'Yes' they said. B ut with previous experiences I still had trouble trusting them, so I got a friend to go to the house and check it out. The next day I get a phone call from our friend saying the job was diabolical - they'd used the wrong size fences poles; different wood and - wait for it - CHICKEN WIRE to fill in the fence!! He sent me photos and I was gobsmacked - it looked like a 5 year old had done it (actually I'm sure my son would have done a better job). They hadn't even concreted in the poles, so they wobbled around - hardly secure!
Romans promised to get it fixed again. That was 18months ago and they still haven't done it. So now I'm having to pay for it myself. ANOTHER cost for me because of Romans' incompetence.
My advice: STAY WELL AWAY FROM ROMANS, READING & TILEHURST - they're too big to care about the individual; they only care about their money.
Who would I recommend? Village Properties of Tilehurst - an absolute DREAM agent in stark contrast to Romans.
NB: having spoken to friends about Romans Estate Agents, I've since found out that I'm not alone - in fact not one of my friends has heard anything positive about them (on the lettings side at least). So please do watch out and look for an agent that will care for your property as if it's their own.
I used them for 18months before transferring to Village Properties who have been EXCELLENT.
I have had to seek compensation twice from Romans for (1) not complying their their agreement, and (2) carrying out substandard maintenance. Let me clarify....
The first tenant we got in the property was recommended by Romans as the 'best option' out of a list of tenants. They gave him keys to our property before the deposit had cleared [against their terms] and subsequently the deposit cheque bounced. The tenant then did not pay rent for 12 months and there was nothing we could do to get them out, until we finally took it to court (had to pay for this ourselves, despite it being Romans' fault). So it cost us 12 months rent + GBP5000 court fees to get him out of the property (although court said he had to pay he just disappeared into thin air and has never paid us). Romans were absolutely useless throughout the process and to be honest, they really didn't care about our situation as it wasn't making them any money.
The next tenant they got in paid 12 months up front - GREAT, I thought, thinking this one would be trouble free. However, our neighbours said there were all sorts of activities going on in the property. Romans are supposed to do property checks every 6 months, but they didn't do this and at the end of the tenancy, we were told the property was in good order. We then flew back to UK and went to stay in our property for xmas, only to open the door and see the house i a COMPLETE STATE.... I'm talking blood on walls; our brand news carpets absolutely ruined (didn't even get clean after professional cleaning), our security fence at the back of the property hacked down and much more. We were devastated - particularly as Romans had told us the property was in good condition!! They actually put it back on the market like this - no wonder it hadn't been snapped up straight away: they'd actually told us to reduce the rental price saying that the market was just quieter!!! NOT quieter, just that people looking around would have thought it was a squat - certainly not the state a 4 bed detached property at GBP1350/month should be in!
We spent our family xmas visit to UK, getting the property straight again; and got Romans to fix the fence at the back. We were back in Sydney by the time they fixed the fenced and when we got the confirmation from Romans that it was completed, I asked them was it in as good order as it was in the beginning. 'Yes' they said. B ut with previous experiences I still had trouble trusting them, so I got a friend to go to the house and check it out. The next day I get a phone call from our friend saying the job was diabolical - they'd used the wrong size fences poles; different wood and - wait for it - CHICKEN WIRE to fill in the fence!! He sent me photos and I was gobsmacked - it looked like a 5 year old had done it (actually I'm sure my son would have done a better job). They hadn't even concreted in the poles, so they wobbled around - hardly secure!
Romans promised to get it fixed again. That was 18months ago and they still haven't done it. So now I'm having to pay for it myself. ANOTHER cost for me because of Romans' incompetence.
My advice: STAY WELL AWAY FROM ROMANS, READING & TILEHURST - they're too big to care about the individual; they only care about their money.
Who would I recommend? Village Properties of Tilehurst - an absolute DREAM agent in stark contrast to Romans.
NB: having spoken to friends about Romans Estate Agents, I've since found out that I'm not alone - in fact not one of my friends has heard anything positive about them (on the lettings side at least). So please do watch out and look for an agent that will care for your property as if it's their own.
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26th Jan 2021
reviewed by 'Lisa'
3rd Dec 2018
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21st May 2018
reviewed by 'Business'
18th Nov 2013
reviewed by 'Batdog'
8th Apr 2013
reviewed by 'Sarah'
Opening Hours
Address
Romans
301 Loddon Bridge Road
Woodley
Berkshire
RG5 4BE
0118 9443740
Performance statistics
| Services | Valuation Accuracy | Fees Satisfaction | Min Price of property reviewed | Max Price of property reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 0% | 0% | £0 | £0 |
| Lettings | 0% | 33% | £750 | £1,600 |
Review statistics
| From Landlords | From Tenants | From Vendors | From Buyers | Other | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | 0 | 64 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Areas covered
Services offered
- Sales
- Lettings
- Block Management
- Surveys
- Conveyancing
- Mortgage Advice
- Home Builder
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Latest Properties
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Jan 26,2021
Jan 26,2021
0
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I recently moved house with the help of Dan, from the first viewing of the property right up until move in day Dan kept me up to date and answered any questions I had. He also checked in on me on moving day to make ...
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May 08,2019
May 08,2019
2
people found
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AVOID AT ALL COSTS. We moved into our rented property under the understanding that the filthy carpets (80% stained with dog urine) would be replaced, plumbing and electrics fixed and that everything would be in full working order. Having paid extensive fees to Romans, we moved ...
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Comment on agent fees
High fees for zero service - awful
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Dec 03,2018
Dec 03,2018
1
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this helpful
We have been in the property now for well over 10 years, and seen different agents come and go. But Matt has been the best so far. When things needed to be done, he saw to it they were done. He is also the only agent ...
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Comment on agent fees
The only fees to comment on are the general fees that Romans charge every time the tenancy is renewed. We have seen this "Admin fee" rise from around £40 to well over £100. We note that this is a practice common with many Letting Agents; and which the Government are investigating..
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May 21,2018
May 21,2018
5
people found
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this helpful
I have been renting from these guys for just over a year now. I should have guessed from the start when the contracts took an age and insisted on my partner be on the contract, even though she does not live here. Take them ages ...
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Comment on agent fees
BAD
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Nov 18,2013
Nov 18,2013
3
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Myself and my partner had an unpleasant time whilst renting through Woodley Romans. If you care about receiving your deposit back at the end I would recommend going elsewhere as we had to fight tooth and nail to get any of it back. We had ...
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Feb 17, 2014
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I am sorry to hear you are disappointed with Romans and I would like to understand what has happened. We have formal complaint channels to resolve problems, so I would appreciate it if you would contact me directly to discuss your experience. My details are Sharon Tubb, Head of Property Management and I can be contacted on 01189 443 745. ...
Apr 08,2013
Apr 08,2013
0
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Sharon has managed two of our properties for many years and she has been brilliant through out. She is quick to liase between ourselves and the tenants and negotiates well on our behalf. I would highly recommend both Romans and Sharon....
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Jan 27,2013
Jan 27,2013
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Emma has been my rep for a few years now and has always managed to get things done in a very timely manner and wit the utmost efficiency. Always on time and ready to assist when required. Overall she gets things done and as a ...
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Jan 27,2013
Jan 27,2013
0
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We highly recommend Sharon Tubb. For many years she managed the property for our parents when they left to live abroad. Our parents were always happy with the service Sharon provided. When the property was passed on to us, Sharon was extremely helpful with the ...
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Jan 27,2013
Jan 27,2013
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Jenny has been a wonderful contact to work with at Romans. She is always very porfessional but also very helpful and understanding. She made our tenancy period both enjoyable and trouble free. Anyone who has the pleasure of having her look after their property will ...
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Jan 25,2013
Jan 25,2013
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Kieran made sure the customer experience I received from Romans' letting service was good from start to finish. From finding me a selection of tenants (and then finding me some even better ones when the original tenants fell through), to patiently explaining the detail that ...
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Jan 02,2013
Jan 02,2013
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Lynn is efficient, helpful and professional. She is the main person we can rely upon and always responds quickly to our requests, including directing us to the appropriate person when necessary....
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Dec 30,2012
Dec 30,2012
0
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Sharon always responds quickly to our requests, including directing us to the appropriate person when necessary. She is efficient, helpful and professional. Sharon is the main person we can rely upon and is the reason we continue to use Roman's as our Letting Agent....
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Dec 20,2012
Dec 20,2012
0
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Robert Flood and Keiran Lamb were both very helpful. Rob knew about the proposed garage conversion 6 months before it was ready for Letting, and provided advance information, with several options. The rent was probably set too high to start with, but having reduced it and ...
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Dec 18,2012
Dec 18,2012
0
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Romans very quickly identified a suitable tenant according to my requirements. The day to day management of my property is the responsibility of Lynn Masterman based at the Woodley branch. Lynn has always been proactive in dealing with with any issues requiring attention and reports ...
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Dec 11,2012
Dec 11,2012
0
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Lynn has always been very easy to contact with any queries. She keeps us up to date on any changes and work that needs to be done in the property, and very responsive in emailing me about the inspections findings. Lynn is friendly and very ...
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Dec 10,2012
Dec 10,2012
0
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The on-line system worked very well to identify the property as soon as it became available. Romans were efficient in showing the property and organising the tenancy and all the paperwork. The property has been well managed and all problems solved timely....
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Dec 07,2012
Dec 07,2012
0
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I have had dealings with Romans Estate Agents for over three years now through their various branches in their property sales and their lettings departments within the Wokingham Borough area namely Wokingham /Shinfield/
Winnersh
They have been very professional efficient and curteous throughout .
I have ...
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Dec 07,2012
Dec 07,2012
0
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Sharon Tubb at Romans Letting in Woodley is wonderful and has made my first time experience of renting a property a breeze. If we have any issues at the property there are dealt with quickly and communication is outstanding. Nothing is ever too much for ...
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Dec 06,2012
Dec 06,2012
0
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I work for a landlord of various properties in the Woodley, Reading area which Romans manage. Sharon Tubb is our contact within the company and she is great at keeping us informed and actioning things which we require. She operates in a friendly but professional ...
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Dec 05,2012
Dec 05,2012
0
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We moved our two Properties from another Agent in Reading to Romans, and since being with Romans, we have not had any problems at all. Sharon has been an excellent point of contact at all times, always being able to answer any questions quickly. I ...
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Dec 05,2012
Dec 05,2012
0
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Sharon has been excellent in communicating and managing my property. I don't know what I would do without her.
Sharon is reliable and always gives me a piece of mind that my property is in safe hands. Thank you Sharon....
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Dec 04,2012
Dec 04,2012
0
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Me and my family spend nearly 3 years in the property managed by Sharon Tubb (from Romans) and delighted to inform every one that we are most satisfied with her service and prompt response to every problem during this period. I wish my next property would ...
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Dec 04,2012
Dec 04,2012
0
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Romans were not our original agent but took over the company that managed our business.Sharon Tubb is the reason we stayed with the company and is the reason we are still with the company.
We have many properties managed by agents and it is ...
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Dec 04,2012
Dec 04,2012
0
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From the word go Romans have been great. The original letting process was easy and well managed and the aftercare we received from Sharon was outstanding. They've dealt with all our requests swiftly, and have managed the relationship with the landlord well. We're in the ...
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Dec 03,2012
Dec 03,2012
0
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I have worked with Sharon since owning my properties and for the last twelve years I have recieved a first class service . Sharon is highly professional , responsive and very easy to deal with. I would have no hesitation in recomending her or any of her ...
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Nov 30,2012
Nov 30,2012
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The following qualities have helped me to form a very positive view of Emma's role in managing our property:
Very responsive - Any query is dealt with quickly
Good Communication - Emma lets us know about anything affecting the property and provides regular updates.
Protects ...
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Nov 22,2012
Nov 22,2012
0
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i am well happy with the way josh bebb contacted me nearly every day to keep me imformed about any progress.
i would use roman again for my selling and byeing if the time come about again. josh bebb is a friendly guy always helpful ...
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Nov 15,2012
Nov 15,2012
0
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As the Property Manager concerned, Emma has always been: -
Efficient - responding to telephone & e-mails promptly, notifying of property visits & subsequent reports in good time.
Considerate - respecting privacy when photographing for reports, removing shoes on entry.
Courteous - pleasant & conversational, enquiring about any ...
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Nov 11,2012
Nov 11,2012
1
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We were very impressed with the excellent way that Romans found us a new tenant for our maisonette so quickly. From start to finish, Rob was very thorough and efficient and kept us informed along the way. I would strongly recomend Romans to friends and ...
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Nov 10,2012
Nov 10,2012
1
people found
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Easy, fast and painless renting from this Agency. Forms easy to understand and very clear. Communication from financial dept very good, kept up to date regularly on what was going on and how things were progressing. All in all good experience....
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No fees information available
Kindly note that legally, letting agents need to publish information about their tenancy fees, government-approved redress schemes and client money protection schemes on their website and on third party websites (on which agents are listed). For properties to lease/rent in England, agents need to keep this information up to date and precise on allAgents or specify within the property description.
Complaints Procedure
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