63% sales valuation accuracy
63% sales fee satisfaction
0% lettings valuation accuracy
80% lettings fee satisfaction
Nov 08,2017
Nov 08,2017
4
people found
this helpful
this helpful
If it was possible to leave anything less than a 1 star I would...I would advise anyone who is looking to rent in or around the Greenwich area to avoid these agents like the plague. It was all well and good until after we signed on the dotted line, and then it all went tremendously downhill. My husband and I have countless threads of email exchanges between us and the agents and it is making my blood boil to see how we were treated by them. Amongst the many issues we had, here a few examples:
• When we moved in, the flat had not been professionally cleaned (this was agreed prior to us moving in).
• There was no emergency number to contact the Agents so at weekends, were pretty much stuck.
• Ian made a point of preferring to speak with husband rather than me – he was very rude, abrupt and patronising when he spoke with me (there was no professionalism there).
• They did not give 24 hours reasonable notice when they were wanting to show people around the flat after we gave our notice or carry out inspections. What they did was send something like the following message: “In order to ensure compliance with the terms of your tenancy agreement, we will be visiting the property during the period 20th June 2016 – 1st July 2016 between the hours of 09.30 am and 6.00 pm but not at week-ends or Bank Holidays. If there is a particular day when you would prefer us not to visit, please let us know as soon as possible. Otherwise you need take no action. There is no need to be present when we visit as we have keys to gain access. Please let us know if there are any maintenance requirements that you would like to bring to our attention before we visit, as this will assist in a thorough investigation of any concerns. Having seen the item, it will be scheduled in for repair and you will be informed of the date when we will attend to the workâ€Â. We had to assert our statutory rights and refuse them entry until they gave us adequate notice.
What I found totally disgusting (among other things), was the moving out charges which are technically hidden charges as these are not disclosed to you when you sign for the flat at the beginning of the tenancy, so you are trapped. I have copied and pasted the following from their Moving Out Guidelines as examples for anyone who is thinking of renting from this Agency:
• We are happy to provide references for you for any future landlord for which a charge of £25.00 plus VAT (£30) is payable per person. Please send us your cheque, made payable to 'Feliks Augustine' and ask the person requiring the reference to send or fax their request to us. Alternatively, the cost can be deducted from your deposit.
• Please ensure that your standing order for the payment of your rent is cancelled after the final payment prior to your departure. If we have to refund any overpayment of rent an admin fee of £25 plus VAT (£30) will be payable for each occasion.
• If you are leaving the property prior to the end of the six month fixed term, an administration fee £70 plus VAT (£84) will be charged per person as again, in effect, the agreement is being broken. You will be charged rent only up until the date replacement tenants move in or the end of the six month period whichever is the earlier. It should be noted that most other agents charge the rent up until the end of the fixed period, even when replacement tenants have been found.
• Replacing Lightbulbs = Minimum charge £50 plus VAT (£60). [We found this out when they tried to charge us £50 plus for replacing a lightbulb. We went to Tesco before we handed the keys over and replaced it ourselves.]
• Please note that if the property is not returned in a satisfactory condition we reserve the right to undertake any necessary work. Listed below is a guide to the cost of such works. Please remember that each property is different and these costs may vary depending upon the level of work required. Please note that professional cleaners should be employed to clean the property and professional carpet cleaning companies to undertake the cleaning of the carpets. Hiring DIY store carpet cleaners is rarely acceptable and may prove to be a waste of money. Also, cleaning companies who offer carpet cleaning as well, again is rarely acceptable as they tend to use DIY store carpet cleaners rather than industrial standard machines [This is basically them coercing you into using their cleaners as they are hinting that any cleaners you choose to hire, will not be acceptable).
• General Cleaning for a 1 bed property = £175 + VAT (£210); Gardening = £35 + VAT (£42) per hour / A minimum of 4 hrs [so you would have to spend around a minimum of £168 for a small garden…]; Window Cleaning = Minimum charge £50 plus VAT (£60).
To conclude, it is evident that the service these Agents provide to tenants is unacceptable. I understand that they are in the business to make money. **
• When we moved in, the flat had not been professionally cleaned (this was agreed prior to us moving in).
• There was no emergency number to contact the Agents so at weekends, were pretty much stuck.
• Ian made a point of preferring to speak with husband rather than me – he was very rude, abrupt and patronising when he spoke with me (there was no professionalism there).
• They did not give 24 hours reasonable notice when they were wanting to show people around the flat after we gave our notice or carry out inspections. What they did was send something like the following message: “In order to ensure compliance with the terms of your tenancy agreement, we will be visiting the property during the period 20th June 2016 – 1st July 2016 between the hours of 09.30 am and 6.00 pm but not at week-ends or Bank Holidays. If there is a particular day when you would prefer us not to visit, please let us know as soon as possible. Otherwise you need take no action. There is no need to be present when we visit as we have keys to gain access. Please let us know if there are any maintenance requirements that you would like to bring to our attention before we visit, as this will assist in a thorough investigation of any concerns. Having seen the item, it will be scheduled in for repair and you will be informed of the date when we will attend to the workâ€Â. We had to assert our statutory rights and refuse them entry until they gave us adequate notice.
What I found totally disgusting (among other things), was the moving out charges which are technically hidden charges as these are not disclosed to you when you sign for the flat at the beginning of the tenancy, so you are trapped. I have copied and pasted the following from their Moving Out Guidelines as examples for anyone who is thinking of renting from this Agency:
• We are happy to provide references for you for any future landlord for which a charge of £25.00 plus VAT (£30) is payable per person. Please send us your cheque, made payable to 'Feliks Augustine' and ask the person requiring the reference to send or fax their request to us. Alternatively, the cost can be deducted from your deposit.
• Please ensure that your standing order for the payment of your rent is cancelled after the final payment prior to your departure. If we have to refund any overpayment of rent an admin fee of £25 plus VAT (£30) will be payable for each occasion.
• If you are leaving the property prior to the end of the six month fixed term, an administration fee £70 plus VAT (£84) will be charged per person as again, in effect, the agreement is being broken. You will be charged rent only up until the date replacement tenants move in or the end of the six month period whichever is the earlier. It should be noted that most other agents charge the rent up until the end of the fixed period, even when replacement tenants have been found.
• Replacing Lightbulbs = Minimum charge £50 plus VAT (£60). [We found this out when they tried to charge us £50 plus for replacing a lightbulb. We went to Tesco before we handed the keys over and replaced it ourselves.]
• Please note that if the property is not returned in a satisfactory condition we reserve the right to undertake any necessary work. Listed below is a guide to the cost of such works. Please remember that each property is different and these costs may vary depending upon the level of work required. Please note that professional cleaners should be employed to clean the property and professional carpet cleaning companies to undertake the cleaning of the carpets. Hiring DIY store carpet cleaners is rarely acceptable and may prove to be a waste of money. Also, cleaning companies who offer carpet cleaning as well, again is rarely acceptable as they tend to use DIY store carpet cleaners rather than industrial standard machines [This is basically them coercing you into using their cleaners as they are hinting that any cleaners you choose to hire, will not be acceptable).
• General Cleaning for a 1 bed property = £175 + VAT (£210); Gardening = £35 + VAT (£42) per hour / A minimum of 4 hrs [so you would have to spend around a minimum of £168 for a small garden…]; Window Cleaning = Minimum charge £50 plus VAT (£60).
To conclude, it is evident that the service these Agents provide to tenants is unacceptable. I understand that they are in the business to make money. **
Comment on agent fees
bad - actually appalling
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Jul 24, 2018
We believe we know who this tenant is, despite their attempt to hide their identity. They were given the opportunity to make a complaint through the recognised complaint procedures available to them in law. They refused to do so. It should be noted that much of what they state about charges is about optional fees. If tenants leave the property in the same condition as they found it, they would not be charged for the cleaning of the property. All our properties are professionally cleaned prior to a tenant moving in and it is a standard phrase for tenants to say that the property was not clean on move in when they are having monies deducted for it being left in an unsatisfactory condition when they depart. Also, there is no obligation for us to provide a reference and some tenants do not need them.
Since this 'review' was posted we have received a significant number of enquiries from Landlords who want us to rent their property as it is clear to them that we do not allow tenants to leave properties in a mess and we are grateful for the free advertising.
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Latest Reviews
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Opening Hours
Address
Feliks Augustine
5 Greenwich South Street
Greenwich,London
Greater London
SE10 8NW
020 8858 7111
Performance statistics
| Services | Valuation Accuracy | Fees Satisfaction | Min Price of property reviewed | Max Price of property reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 63% | 63% | £0 | £0 |
| Lettings | 0% | 80% | £1,100 | £1,700 |
Review statistics
| From Landlords | From Tenants | From Vendors | From Buyers | Other | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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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Dec 03,2021
Dec 03,2021
0
people found
this helpful
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Feliks Augustine is a great agency and helped us find the perfect house to our needs last year during a terrible time (Christmas lockdown!). Peter found exactly what we were looking for and ensure the process was smooth. Communication has been good since then and ...
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Feb 25,2021
Feb 25,2021
0
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Ian was our direct contact at Feliks Augustine. He was always very efficient, quick to respond and take action. They are not as bureaucratic as other larger agencies are, which I think is great, there are no excesses. I highly recommend them....
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Feb 23,2021
Feb 23,2021
0
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Always very helpful and quick to sort out any issues. Move in and out was also very straight forward. Would definitely use their services again! Thank you guys...
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Feb 11,2021
Feb 11,2021
0
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Very helpful and personable agents. Thank you so much to Ian for helping me with a key-related disaster. The agents are very quick in responding to issues or questions in a friendly way....
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Nov 18,2020
Nov 18,2020
0
people found
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this helpful
Ian was very helpful during our stay of 2 and a half years.
He has a professional and helpful attitude. We were always able to turn to him with trust and he provided a solution for any issues that occurred. We only can recommend his service....
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Jun 23,2020
Jun 23,2020
0
people found
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My wife and I rented a flat from Feliks Augustine for just shy of ten years. We received outstanding service from them over our entire tenancy. They were consistently efficient in resolving any issues we had with the building and were quick to respond to ...
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May 18,2020
May 18,2020
0
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Everything was very smooth and the whole experience (both moving in and out) was good. I dealt with Ian and he was always very friendly which helps....
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Aug 10,2018
Aug 10,2018
2
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Overall I had a lovely experience with FA! They were very efficient when it came to checking in and getting sorted and continued to be whenever we hadn't any queries or problems! Both Peter and Ian were helpful when we had an incident with a ...
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Aug 09,2018
Aug 09,2018
2
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Felix Augustine are everything you could want/expect from an agency. As students, the prospects of moving in to your own home is a daunting process but the staff at FA were so kind and helpful the process of securing the rental property, checking in ...
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Nov 08,2017
Nov 08,2017
4
people found
this helpful
this helpful
If it was possible to leave anything less than a 1 star I would...I would advise anyone who is looking to rent in or around the Greenwich area to avoid these agents like the plague. It was all well and good until after we signed ...
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Comment on agent fees
bad - actually appalling
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Aug 08, 2019
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The lady is actually right. Agency's response is disgusting. You need to work in a different profession Ian - clearly not customer service.
Thank you for sharing your honest experience! ...
Oct 24,2017
Oct 24,2017
1
people found
this helpful
this helpful
I was a little worried having read some of the reviews on here just after signing a tenancy agreement with Feliks Augustine. However, I was wrong to be afraid. Ian was very professional (I can understand how this would come across as curt to other ...
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Nov 15,2016
Nov 15,2016
0
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this helpful
I have dealt with Ian throughout our most recent tenancy and have found him very professional and helpful at all times. Any maintenance issues we contacted him about were dealt with promptly, without fuss. He has also been very accommodating since we gave our notice ...
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Comment on agent fees
Reasonable fees, clearly detailed. No hidden charges.
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Oct 30,2016
Oct 30,2016
0
people found
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I don't know what these other people are talking about. I've had nothing but good service from FA. I think the problem might have been David who was pretty useless who gave me wrong information but Ian and the other staff have been really good. ...
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Comment on agent fees
Reasonable
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May 25,2015
May 25,2015
7
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Working with this company was very difficult. They are very slow at getting work done and will repeatedly make excuses or say the problem is your fault. They were extremely hard work, he is a very condescending person who gets horribly defensive if he knows ...
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What agent could do to change your mind?
Answer ALL emails Learn basic social skillsAttached Filesnbsp;
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Sep 03,2014
Sep 03,2014
2
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Was a tenant in a property in Greenwich - bad service - always tried to get out of helping us. some bad points:
Took weeks to get someone to fix leaking roof
Said we'd have to pay for boiler repair cos girls should be able ...
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What agent could do to change your mind?
work together, be attentive, dont be rude and condesendingAttached Filesnbsp;
Comment on agent fees
wasn't cleaned when moved in bad floor bad paint leaking everywhere
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Sep 16, 2014
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(1)
As agents any major problem with a property is reported to the landlord immediately and we will suggest ways to carry out works quickly and efficiently. At Feliks Augustine we manage a large number of properties and very rarely encounter tenants that are dissatisfied with our service.
We do suggest initial checks before a workman is sent out to avoid a possible false call out charge if the issue is considered a minor one. ...
May 10,2013
May 10,2013
7
people found
this helpful
this helpful
The worst Agency I have ever dealt with. Stay away. Never rent from them as at the end of your tenancy they will charge you for everything, even if you know you left the place better than it was when you moved in....
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What agent could do to change your mind?
They could start with returning my emails and calls and then I would like them to prove how the flat looked before I moved in and why they want to charge me for things that were fine when I left the flat.Attached Filesnbsp;
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Dec 09, 2013
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As an Agent, Feliks Augustine has a responsibility to the Landlord to ensure that their property is left in the same condition on move-out as at move-in , fair wear and tear excepted. Most tenants are refunded their full deposit on leaving a property. For the minority who have monies deducted, Feliks Augustine explains the deduction and makes it clear that if they are unhappy with these then they are able to raise a complaint with MyDeposits and as a rule, Feliks Augustine uses the Small Claims ...
Feb 25,2013
Feb 25,2013
1
people found
this helpful
this helpful
I've got nothing but praise for these guys. As a result of a family tragedy, I had to leave my flat four months early. Not only did they organise cleaners to come in and sort the place out for me after I left, but the ...
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Sep 11,2012
Sep 11,2012
9
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Cant beleieve the charges for leaving the property, £50 plus VAT for changes of lightbulbs (there was one missing lightbulb but when we moved in there was 4 missing), £85 plus VAT for change of carpet (when we moved in on the inventory check it states "bedroom carpet ...
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What agent could do to change your mind?
NOT STOLEN MONEY FROM OUR DEPOSITAttached Filesnbsp;
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May 10, 2013
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Hi Ian, I am sure you are aware of how unfair your Agency is. How can you stay with them for so long and help make other people lives miserable? You see how flats look like before people move in. I wished you have warned me then and told about taking plenty of pictures on the moving in day. I don't understand how can you be like this. ...
Aug 31,2012
Aug 31,2012
10
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Would like to warn everybody against using these guys. They tried to keep us in the property longer than the year that we signed to. After moving out they've charged us ludicrous sums for cleaning and repairs. They have even tried to charge us for ...
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Feb 25, 2013
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This property was left in an appalling condition. We informed the tenant to take us to court (even giving him the reference for the relevant form) or to use the Tenants Deposit Protection Scheme to raise a complaint, as is our policy. This tenant did neither but decided to try and damage our reputation by writing such libellous comments. However, we are still waiting for their pictures and video footage as mentioned... ...
Mar 01,2012
Mar 01,2012
12
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Left flat in pristine condition and was still charged an extortionate cleaning fee, plus decorating fee for damages that didn't exist. Ignoring our emails. We are taking this further. Any one moving out - take pictures of every room and cupboard. Similar situation - please ...
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What agent could do to change your mind?
Left flat in pristine condition and was still charged an extortionate cleaning fee, plus decorating fee for damages that didn't exist. Ignoring our emails. We are taking this further. Any one moving out - take pictures of every room and cupboard. Similar situation - please get in touch - it seems like this company is abusing their position and should be reported.Attached Filesnbsp;
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Feb 25, 2013
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Although this person has not had the courage to put their real name, we believe we know who it is and to which property it refers to. This property was left in a very bad condition which involved redecorating, we did informed the tenant about this but the tenant did nothing about it but decided to try and damage our reputation by writing such libellous details anonymously. However, we are pleased to report that this tactic of his has backfired as we have received instructions from a number of ...
Feb 15,2012
Feb 15,2012
7
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Similarly to what was said by other people here, Feliks Augustine kept my deposit, even though property was in better condition than before I moved in. They tried to claim ridiculously high charges for damages that already existed. They don't respond to my emails and ...
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Jan 15, 2014
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(4)
Ian , do you think that not using a free dispute service and sending a case to court in Northampton, while the flat I was renting was in Greenwich and your agency is in Greenwich, and without letting the tenant know is fair? ...
Jun 24,2011
Jun 24,2011
3
people found
this helpful
this helpful
A few of my properties are currently been managed by Feliks Augustine and I have found them extremely competent and helpful throughout the entire process. I thought I would write them up a good review as they were getting a few bad ones on here. ...
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May 13,2011
May 13,2011
1
people found
this helpful
this helpful
My sister rented a flat over 6 years ago from Feliks Augustine. She was very pleased with the flat and the agents. She said that, other than the initial fee, there were no other hidden costs throughout the tenancy nor at the end of the tenancy. ...
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Feb 15, 2012
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This is because you haven't moved out. That is when the nightmare begins. ...
“Appallingly unprofessional and unsatisfactory customer service - rude, untimely, arrogant. ......”
Mar 15,2011
Mar 15,2011
9
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Appallingly unprofessional and unsatisfactory customer service - rude, untimely, arrogant. Was unable to get my deposit back, even though I left the property in better condition than when I moved in. Would never recommend this estate agency to anyone....
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Oct 10,2010
Oct 10,2010
10
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Rogue estate agents who fail to respond to tenants requests for fundamental work during tenancy (i.e. no hot water for one month and no attempt to repair). They will keep your deposit without any justification. Take care....
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Sep 08,2010
Sep 08,2010
8
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Very poor service. I waited months for my deposit back. Impossible to get hold of the manager, who showed us a property and blinded with his kindness. You believe this guy - she will screw you over.
Apart from that our neighbours got a quote ...
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Feb 14, 2013
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The manager is not female.... ...
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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Thank you for sharing your honest experience!