“Our Tenancy was flawed from the outset. The house was ......”
1 Star Review
Apr 10,2013
By:
'BB'
Apr 10,2013
Branch: Winchester, Talbot House, 83 High Street
Services: Lettings (as a Tenant)
Would you recommend?: No
Postcode: SO51
Branch: Winchester, Talbot House, 83 High Street
Lettings (as a Tenant)
Postcode: SO51
4
people found
this helpful
Our Tenancy was flawed from the outset. The house was managed by Yourmove (YM)as the Landlady lives in Australia. We are good tenants and have never missed rent payment.
We lived in a shared house and all got 'credit checked/referenced' on our way in for £70 each. Then when the tenancy came up for renewal we had another person added, and her fees for 'credit checked/referencing' were £70 . When the extra housemate as above decided to move out again. they insisted we all be 'credit checked/referenced' again to the tune of £240 EACH! that's £720 to stay in a house we had lived in for two years PLUS £120 for contract renewal. Also they only would rene it because we were deemed as 'Unstable/unreliable' (I reiterate we never missed rent) When we asked about this they threatened eviction and they said that it was the credit check company putting their prices up, what they failed to mention is that this company is their sister company. Also they refused to give us either a valid invoice with a breakdown of charges or the contact details of our landlady which we have a legal right to saying that they could not release it due to data protection, that did not seem to stop them handing my phone number cold callers galore!! Do not be fobbed off on this point YOU HAVE A LEGAL RIGHT TO CONTACT YOUR LANDLORD/LADY DIRECTLY!!
I required a guarantor and so my mother agreed with the proviso that she was only liable for me alone, they assured her that if she attached a letter to this effect that she was covered. As well as credit checking us again they also requested my guarantor be referenced again too, they pointed out that while the original letter that my mother had attached at their request was nice, had anything in fact gone wrong she would have been liable for the entire property letter or no. And they denied lying to her about her liability.
Within 2 months of moving it was evident that the house suffered with cold spots and damp and mould. Two of us developed chest infections by this. When we notified YM they tried to blame us for the damp saying that it was our fault for having a bed against the wall, IN A BEDROOM!!! and that it was our responsibility to repair it on a regular basis. Then in Jan 2012 a leak developed in the bathroom and created a hole in the plaster of the ceiling in the kitchen. The leak itself was fixed fairly quickly but the ceiling was not repaired until Oct 2012, and when the contractors came they plastered the whole ceiling including the cupboards shut. When we notified YM of this they said they would get them to fix it when they came back, but instead when they came back to paint they painted all the cupboards too. Then when we noticed the large windows in the house wouldn't shut because of the ivy they said they would get someone to fix the windows and deal with the ivy. Their solution to cut down all the ivy and most of a hedge in the front yard leaving a mess behind and to permanently jam the windows shut so they are not usable and in the process breaking the handles.
We have now thankfully moved out of there but they just won't quit, they sent us a letter before we planned to move saying that the landlady was planning to have the entire property renovated and re-carpeted. Then once we handed notice they confirmed again that we did not need to have the property professionally cleaned as they would be decorating when we left. Now at check out they are trying to withhold our deposit saying they are trying to charge for the carpet and decorating and for the fact the window latches are broken, for the damp, paint and plaster on the cupboards for the missing ivy, and for the damage to the garden their contractor caused for the mould. They are taking advantage of the renters market.
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But subsequent tenants failed to air the property and it became mouldy - I bought them a dehumidifier which they did not use - because I got a contractor in who told me it was their washing and no windows open and the mould grew. I was told by YM that the fact that the tenants did not wash down the black mould on the windows etc was not something I could claim for and I had to have the place cleaned at my cost. Yet you are told it is your fault.
I am taking them to the Ombudsman for not reference checking tenants properly (they had just come out of prison) so I suspect the reference checking is to get cash in for their sister company. As a landlord I would love to speak to the tenants directly (apart from the mad one who thought the place was haunted :-)... Landlords do not know how much the tenants are charged. We get charged the check out and the new lease every time it is renewed - so that is a cost of around £220, every 6 or 12 months. The check out is usually pretty crap - and if they miss anything (no matter how big - like the fridge freezer being stolen) - they do not have to compensate - YM say it is not their responsibility (to do their job?? how does that work?) - so you are out of pocket and cannot get help at the TDS because it is not mentioned on the check out report. I am £2,500 out of pocket over the last 3 years worth of tenants due to unprofessional check out reports, Also I paid over £120pcm for their 'services'. TO me they seemed to be always on the side of the tenant - I think they just hated me so always made me the scape goat.