Black Katz
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Customer Reviews
Reviewed by Giles Morris on 26th May 2009
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
IP address: EJ3.ERX.JEE.9VI
They are absolutely abysmal. I pity anyone who has the misfortune to be their customer.
Reviewed by thedogs.. on 24th March 2009
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
Yes
IP address: 9QQ.9F3.JQE.9FB
Reviewed by Neil on 12th February 2009
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
IP address: 9QR.JXF.9BJ.9ER
Reviewed by pcplod on 28th January 2009
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
IP address: 9FE.EVB.9BF.9BQ
Black Katz are beyond inept. I was nodding in agreement with all the reviwes on this site. Me and some of my friends have had exactly the same problems. The general conclusion of every tenant we have spoken to about them is that:
1. They will say ANYTHING to get you to take the flat (including lies),
2. They cannot organise the contracts, receipts and welcome packs which never seem to materialise.
3. If anything goes wrong they disappear, go radio silent, or promise call backs that never happen
4. They could be taking risks with your security and may even leave communal doors unlocked when doing viewings
5. Have no duty of care to the tenants and pass the buck at every opportunity; nothing seems the be their responsibility
6. The emergency line is a joke. Don't call the emergency line if you actually have an emergency because you will be called back a day later by abusive idiot who questions whether a flood/gas leak/ break-in/fire is indeed an emergency ( this REALLY happened- well one of these emergencies did).
7. They make apointments to sign contracts and when you get there with a taxi waiting to take you back to work, they are on their lunch breaks.
Whatever you do, and no matter how nice they are when they show you around, believe me this will all change as soon as you sign the dotted line. Do not use them. Ever.
Reviewed by Nessie on 18th December 2008
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
IP address: SLZ.SM9.ULL.TT9
I would reiterate the other reviews on here - truly wished I'd looked at this site before entering into a rental agreement. At first, I gave them the benefit of doubt and thought that perhaps they were simply incompetent. However, I now realise this is far too generous and that they really are flat out dishonest and absolutely not to be trusted. Literally, ensure every communication is in writing otherwise you will find yourself arguing back and forth about who said what when. This extends throughout the company, it is not a question of an individual agent. Once they have your money and signature, they wash themselves of any further responsibilities and will tell bold faced lies to the tenant and landlord. They have no clue about the properties they are showing and will say anything that comes to mind. Make sure you have everything signed, and countersigned - even then you will likely encounter problems and debates on interpretating what is in writing.
Reviewed by bad_pixie on 13th October 2008
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
IP address: JFI.9FE.9BR.9BF
We paid a whopping £120 each for 'admin fees'. They didn't have the keys the morning we were moving in - then they gave us the wrong ones. We are still waiting for one set. We were not given an inventory. Prior to all this, they phoned and gave me grief about the fact that my landlord had not yet sent my reference (which is not my problem - they're getting paid to sort all that out themselves).
It was agreed - in writing - that the place would be professionally cleaned, and the carpets steam cleaned before we moved in. The place was really filthy, and the carpets were being cleaned as we were actually trying to move in! It was also agreed that they would fix some lights that were out - that hasn't happened either.
They provide a really poor service and are not worth the money at all.
Reviewed by Des on 25th September 2008
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
IP address: 9QJ.93F.EBI.9XR
For what they charge for as Administration fees-thay give you sweet F.A.
They claim things like we have received your fax and when you ask about your requests on the covering letter-they claim, no covering letter was received!!! Absolute A class liars
They are just in it for the money!!!
Will never ever use them again
Reviewed by tubemap on 14th September 2008
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
IP address: S9U.UNN.UMT.UUZ
I was going to leave them good feedback if they deserved it - they didn't though.
If you phone and they say we will call back in two minutes - don't hold your breath as the call wont come at all. They will waste your time until you have no choice but to take their flat because you have no more time to look.
When you first get shown around a few houses by someone who wants to help you, getting driven around you think that Black Katz are absolutely great. They are far from good though...
After finding a place which might be suitable (many flats are so bad that your standards have to drop quickly) you will be told that the landlord has just acquired the property - this is rubbish - he has had it for many years!! So the lies begin...
You will be told that the landlord is one of the good ones and that he is going to do the property up (this is news to him - he doesn't like to spend money)... 'The landlord will buy what you want, professionally clean the flat, add a new fridge freezer, new tiling, new work surfaces, new lights, cleaned this, cleaned that, new toilet seat, etc, etc, etc - he will decorate - it will be like a new place'...
The asking price is x amount but if you offer x amount plus another £5 per week he will definitely take your offer and proceed to do the place up. So there is another bit of money you have been conned out of..
If you try to get this all in writing you will be given more excuses and told a pack of lies - In the end you have to phone and negotiate what is going to be done and included but each time something gets knocked off the list. You pay the deposit because you need somewhere to live.
More fun begins - trying to get the signed lease is a joke, two sets of keys? No - only one - it will take weeks to get two.
Trying to get the furniture ordered is a joke - You expect the furniture that was promised - You will get the cheapest, most uncomfortable bed and this will be ordered on the last possible time, it wont be matching, it will be the cheapest possible - the same time the trades needed to fix electrics etc arrive after you have moved in, nothing will have been checked to see if its working.. So this will all take up a lot more of your time trying to organise it all.
The flat will have a quick coating of paint on the walls if you're lucky, the professionals have certainly not be in to clean - the place will be filthy. Not have any of the things promised. 'The lease will be in the post' but it won't really. Every time you call, you will feel guilty as you seem a pain because you keep calling - You will be told they will call you back time and time again but they won't.
Basically - anything you ask for will be wrong. You will be told you have to use a fax - then later it turns out that email is okay. The lease will be wrong, have wrong amounts on it. The manager will tell you that the person who told you that you would get certain things has left the company even though he still works there. You will get so annoyed it trying to get someone to speak to as they are all trying to rent new flats!
When you go to pick up the key on moving day - if you phone you will be told to wait. It's the final straw - you want to kill them all now - or wish you had paid that bit extra for better estate agents and a flat you didn't have to spend weeks cleaning.
In the end after a lot of hard work and spending my own money - the flat is good for the money and the area I wanted. Black Katz have a lot of flats. There are some really nice people who work there. All they need to do is stop the lying sellers and improve the admin. You get what you pay for.
Reviewed by White Dog on 12th March 2008
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
IP address: 9QR.J3X.J3V.9J3
STUNNING lack of competence and honesty on every level, which was particularly rich given the amount of money they charge for "administration". Flat was not ready, paperwork not followed up, etc . when I complained, they called my girlfriend and threatened us with "terminating the contract". Anybody dealing with them should insist on everything IN WRITING as you cannot trust what is said to you in person or on the phone. Luckily, I have lawyer friends, but I imagine they get away with a lot with the uninformed.
Commented by White Dog on the 14th October 2008
It's me again. Justy to let you all know that things don't improve even when you establish yourself as a good tenant. Oh yeah, and try the 24 hour maintenance line sometime just for a laugh...it's an answering machine that they don't listen to until about noon the next day.
Reviewed by Alex Wolff on 2nd January 2008
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
IP address: 0N5.JSD.NHH.0N5
The house was not ready when I moved in. They didn't pay the hotel. They never returned the deposit arguing that the carpet was damaged when the flat had wooden floors!!. Amazing. They charged me twice for last month and when I asked for my deposit back, they asked me again for that month!!
Commented by pippa on the 16th September 2008
I have never heard of such nonsense in my entire life. You are obviously a jealous agent. I have used them many times and so have many people I know without any problems. They have the most, best and well priced properties I have seen.
Commented by White Dog on the 14th October 2008
so pippa, how long have you worked for Black Katz then?
Commented by Katie on the 6th March 2009
ha ha thats exactly what i was thinking!! absolute rubbish. EVERYONE i have spoken to has said, how devastatingly bad black katz are, and i have hed the most awful experience from them..... i had to have an operation on my throat due to them taking 3 months to deal with the extensive amount of mould and damp (it was dripping on my face in the night and caused a pollyp) they were so rude. and the agent who showed us around started texting my girlfriend asking her out for a drink!!!
Commented by sword of truth on the 10th March 2009
Pippa is married to the owner. Fact.
Commented by choco on the 13th May 2009
If that is true, Pippa and you have a biased affiliation with Black Katz, you should be ashamed about posting a false comment. This site is for honest reviews from tenants and landlords, so we have accurate representations of people's experiences.
Reviewed by chrissy on 3rd December 2007
Services: Lettings (Prospective customer)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
IP address: 8M0.B77.E8M.0B7
Reviewed by mct on 25th June 2007
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
IP address: C8R.754.PRD.C8R
Reviewed by london001 on 6th May 2006
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
IP address: ND4.PD4.QQL.B4H
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Estate Agent Information
Black Katz
We are London's largest lettings-only agent. Our success is due to the simple fact that we treat every landlord and tenant as a person, not a number, each with their own individual needs.
Offices / Branches
- Camden (London)
- City of London (London)
- Hammersmith and Fulham (London)
- Haringey (London)
- Islington (London)
- Lambeth (London)
- Southwark (London)
Services
- Lettings
Commented by A.Nunzi(Director) on the 17th March 2009
I'm very sorry to hear that you have been dissatisfied using one of Black Katz branches. I myself work for the London Bridge branch of Black Katz and would be happy to talk to you and try to resolve any issues you have had. We do our utmost to make sure our landlords and tenants have an enjoyable and smooth-running tenancy. Being London's largest lettings agency some problems can occur and we treat every problem seriously.
Please feel free to contact me any time on the office number or by email at: londonbridge@blackatz.com
Commented by Charlie on the 21st March 2009
Sounds like youre a jealous agent mate. I've used them with no problems. All agents are the same!
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