Countrywide Residential Lettings

Reviewed by DP on 26th June 2009

Services: Lettings (as a Landlord)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: TU9.U9M.S59.TGN

Awful.. nice sales pitch followed by schoolboy service. When they were taken over by Gascoigne Pees I was hopeful things would get better. Sadly it didn't. Not only was I abused as the landlord, good tenants were too. They left my heating on for 3 months in an empty flat, left my TV on standby for the same period, didn't pick up needed repairs in the checks (assuming they actually went) or the inventory check out. Did not monitor or control contractors repair work. I dealt with in excess of 10 people when I asked for one. Mis information, conflicting information. Totally inept, incompetent, useless leaches. Avoid the windsor branch of gascoigne pees (previously CRL) at all costs. I notice many of the comments from tenants here and it is no different for the landlord. They are in it for themselves and the service to the other two parties is awful. By far my worst experience as a landlord of 10 years.

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Reviewed by UrHavinaLaugh on 5th June 2009

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: 9QF.EBR.JQJ.9EX

I dont realy know where to start with this company. From day one we had nothing but hastle with this company. Not doing half of what they say they will, changing there story whenever they feel like it. lanlady didnt do half of what was supposed to ither. Each member of staff dosnt appear to know what the other ones doing, staff are quick to assume, some are cheeky and they stand by the landlord no-matter what. We moved in for just over 3 weeks, found out 1 neighbour was on parole and tagged, breaking into ppl`s flats, terrorising the neighbours. tried to break in my bedroom window while i was sleeping to stab me. had to move out the next day as police let him back out and he was living right beside me. police deemed it unsafe for us to stay there. notified Countrywide Residential Letting who appologied and said that due to the ciromstances should be ok to break our contract. landlady decided wanted to hold us to it, lose our deposit, pay the council tax for the 12 months and pay any fees to get new tennant in. Countrywide are standing by her. Landlady is refusing to budge and denying all knowlage of any trouble around her flat (even though its been going on for well over a year, new lock was also on security door which landlady was aware of and didnt have a key for, also neighbour moved out beside us after only 2 weeks for same hastle). We now not only have nowhere to stay, we are having a legal battle, go to court because of our neighbour, have lost our deposit and are expected to pay not only our contract but extras. This company are needing to brighten their act up and stop siding with landlords quite as much and look at the big picture. I for one find this company quite laughable and if anyone desides to use this letting agency, all i can say is, good luck to you!

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Reviewed by luca on 16th March 2009

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: JEQ.EBR.EEF.9XI

It was a nightmare to have my deposit back!! Basically they think they have right to claim part of it, with one excuse or another, a bit like a disconnection charge.

Things started going wrong with the check out inventory:

1) The agent who did the check out asked me to clean here and there, moving the furniture to unveal every possible hidden dust, as she said that would have avoided me paying for a cleaning service, since the flat was overall clean. I did it, but after that she said that I would have been charged (can't remember the exact figure) for cleaning. Don't think that is acceptable.

2) She also told me she was going to charge me for some dents on the floor caused by the chairs provided by the landlord. I think that is to be considered normal tear and wear from the usage of the flat, thus not chargable. As she also acknowledged, the damage would have been much more serious if I had not taken care of fitting some rubber caps to the chairs (the ones in place were toatally uneffective and it took me a couple of days to realise that and find a solution), which are simply not suitable for usage on a wooden floor.

3) She also found a spot on the carpet that I have not caused, but was just not included in the inventory.

Furthermore, after I said I would start a dispute about the deductions from the deposit, they just increased those deductions by135£, with no explanantion!!

Most of all, after almost 45 days they still had not payed anything back!!

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Reviewed by Izzy on 12th March 2009

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: 9QX.JI3.EJQ.93X

Billericay Branch

Our flat had numerous problems such as damp & flooding etc, which never got resolved. We left as soon as possible and we were perfect tenants but never got our deposit back. In the end the stress caused was worse than pursuing the money. Instead we've told everyone we know to avoid them.

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Reviewed by Anon on 22nd February 2009

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: 9FE.9BR.9FX.9VB

Do not even consider using this bunch of inept jokers, I simply do not have the time to list here the amount of problems I have had with CRL. Beyond useless, if this company finds itself out of business as a result of the current recession it will be no loss and no surprise whatsoever.

Avoid at all cost.

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Reviewed by Albi Senior on 21st February 2009

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: S9T.SGT.S99.UDL

Incompetence is not the word to describe this organisation. They are unbelievably inept (certainly in Bristol) and I have no doubt that their residential lettings outfit in Cheam are tarred with the same brush. From unanswered telephone calls to just not knowing what was going on, this outfit are truly misreable firm to deal with. I would treat this lot with the same contempt that banks now find themselves in.
Shocking and one to avoid at all costs.

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Reviewed by Lyndsey on 30th October 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: JFV.9XJ.EII.9QB

The staff at Countrywide residential lettings in Preston are possibly the most incompetent people I've ever met.

We've rented with them for two and a half years and have had no end of problems. Every time something needed fixing it took us at least 4 phone calls of constantly chasing them up to get anything done. They never call back when they are supposed to, and every time I ever spoke to a member of them team I had to re-tell them the problem again because it was as though the issue had never been logged in the first place. I'm moving out in the next month and am worried they'll do everything they can do to not return our deposits. If anyone has any advice on how to deal with them on this please let me know. I cannot stress enough NEVER rent with Countrywide!

Lyndsey

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Reviewed by Alice on 23rd September 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Landlord)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: UZG.TNU.STM.T7U

Ineffective, uncommitted, passive staff providing an unsatisfactory service.

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Reviewed by boo on 14th September 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: 9FE.9JR.93R.9VB

Worst ever rental agency I should say... Totally erratic.. Took almost over 3 months to return deposit in rented property at Aldershot. Never visit this agent.

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Reviewed by Taylor Housing. on 25th August 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Landlord)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: S9M.U77.TG9.UTD

As large self managing portfolio owners we let them manage a satellite property of ours in Nottingham. Worst management I have ever experienced in my career. Totally incompetent and even charged for visits they did not make.

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Reviewed by Nick on 6th August 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: 9QE.9BJ.9EF.9QB

Rented a flat from them. Took our rent for 6 months in advance, independant inventory assessment at the end of the lease was unfair -blamed and claimed expenses from tenants for defects in the flat that we already told them when we first moved in and stated in the inventory form.
Avoid!!!

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Reviewed by lucy on 30th May 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: 9QX.JJE.ERI.93I

Avoid Avoid Avoid.
Staff are rude, unhelpful and incompetent.
Do not use this agent.
Repairs are not dealt with quickly and they give you no notice what so ever.

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Reviewed by John S on 8th December 2007

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: 9DM.473.BWW.E7M

We rented a property via Countrywide Residential Lettings, they staff were not very helpful with problems and this was a managed flat!!

Came to leaving and their claimed to have an independant inventory done however very dodgy, also took them 3 weeks to return deposit.

AVOID

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Reviewed by Processhater on 23rd October 2007

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: W0D.857.7M0.R50

Rented a flat through Countrywide Residential Lettings in Oxford. When I arrived the day we checked-in (moved in), to find no cleaning had been done (rubbish in the bin, toilet had not been cleaned and smelt like a public toilet, carpet hadn't been cleaned or vacuumed, food on the plates etc).

I complained and they said 'we'll send out our cleaner again to clear'!

We are about to move out, tenants have the right to have 24hrs notice of potential viewers..... hmmm yeah right, 2 hours before hand they ring to see if they can come over..... bet it ain't gonna be easy to get the deposit back.

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Reviewed by james on 10th September 2007

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: 90C.57L.FYK.ZGE

The Countrywide Residential Lettings are involved in the Dispute Committee and make you real trouble in getting your deposit back.

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