Leaders Ltd

Reviewed by Polly123 on 21st May 2009

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: JIF.JIV.JIX.9XR

I can hardly believe how bad Leaders were.

Their staff secretly entered my flat to show people round while I was work. I caught them one day when I was off sick.

I had 4 months with no washing machine and they ignored my calls about it.

Their management of contracts was terrible.

Generally, they seemed to have absolutely no interest and made no effort at all to resolve any issues.

You might be thinking that only people who have bad experiences write reviews so therefor its not really a fair reflection of Leaders. Perhaps some people have a good experience, but when it comes to your home, I would urge you not to take the risk.

Comment on this review

Reviewed by markcr2 on 9th April 2009

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: SZT.TGG.SMZ.TUU

Truly atrocious agent. We rented with them for 3 1/2 years and had nothing but excuse after excuse from Leaders Croydon. They did not oblige their duties as managing agents to maintain the property we rented through them.

Where eventually given a section 21 to quit after 18 months complaining about the boiler constantly failing on the 15th December!!!

Happy Christmas....now get lost!!!

Upon check out Leaders claimed £300 in back fees they had "inadvertently missed" during the course of the tenancy.

We eventually got our deposit back minus £300 for "fees" and £100 for cleaning as we did not have a receipt from the cleaning company we could not prove the flat had been professionally cleaned.

If you are unlucky enough to have to rent through leaders, make sure you get receipts for every penny you hand over to that lot!

Comment on this review

Reviewed by Ndf9876 on 10th March 2009

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  Yes
IP address: EJ3.JXF.9IF.9VB

I rented a property through Lanes of Reigate who were soon after taken over by Leaders. The property was managed by them, and the only issue I had was with the checkout and deposit return (I was charged £75 because the lampshade and inside of drawers were dusty). However, I wanted to rent a larger property and decided it might be easier to go through Leaders - again a managed property - and the transition of my deposit went smoothly (this time protected under TDS). Maintenance issues that cropped up were dealt with quickly and efficiently, staff were really helpful and friendly and could not have done more to help.

Checkout was more thorough this time - photographic evidence was given to me of various 'faults' - mostly cleaning issues which I disputed since I had used their preferred cleaning company on departure - ended up paying a few pounds for some damage I did not dispute.

My advice would be to complete a thorough inventory when moving in - take photographs - and before departure, request a list of preferred cleaning companies in writing, use one of those cleaning companies and send them a copy receipted invoice as proof. Sounds like a hassle, but I paid £100 for a full clean on a one-bedroom flat doing it that way and got all my deposit back (bar about £20). Compared to a £75 bill for what surely was 5 minutes' work with a duster on my first rented property, I think I got away lightly! 3 Stars because of the treatment I got when moving out of first Leaders property - had I not had that experience it would be 4 / 5 stars.

Comment on this review

Reviewed by gigabyte on 28th November 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  Yes
IP address: S9M.UGL.TNG.TT7

I was split whether or not to reccomend or slate. I have rented through leaders twice, the first time was great - wonderful landlord and great property, decided to move for better parking. HOWEVER moved into a property that was property managed by the landlord, as soon as problems began leaders didnt wanna hear of it, they took the rent and couldnt care less about the tenants. Its a shame because I will now tell others never to use them as they simply do not care about customer service. They knew that our landlord has caused many problems in the past and yet still continue to let his properties - We also had issues with them not setting up the standing order correctly and then trying to charge us for late rental payments. They were bugging us the whole application process to chase our previous landlord for a reference - EVEN though it was THEIR client that the reference was coming from and what am I paying the reference fees for if I have to do all the chasing! - rubbish customer service, rubbish property management, overpriced so AVOID like the plague.

Comment on this review

Reviewed by 1shukokai on 1st November 2008

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

A very bad experience with their Aldershot office. Watch out for companies that have been taken over by Leaders.

Comment on this review

Reviewed by DSF on 7th September 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: S9G.SML.SZD.TGM

Took 2 months to change one name on the contract for a shared house despite constant chasing.

Comment on this review

Reviewed by annoyed123 on 7th September 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: S9U.UDU.TGU.UGG

Just kiss deposit goodbye despite improving the property!

Comment on this review

Reviewed by brightonian on 26th August 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: S9L.UZ7.SGM.UT7

Unbelievably poor.

They kept my deposit due to having 'upgraded their computer system during my tenancy' and so had no record of my payment.

I couldn't find the receipt and so had no proof that i had paid it, although try moving into one of their flats without paying a deposit and see how far you get.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that getting your deposit back from leaders is considered worthy of celebration.

Comment on this review

Reviewed by SquidBoy on 25th August 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  Yes
IP address: S9M.STU.STD.UML

Leaders Ltd, are -- in my opinion -- a bunch of muppets.

When the tenancy agreement began, they failed to send the signed standing order paperwork to the bank, then tried to charge a late payment fee when the funds weren't transferred as expected. They also demanded payment twice for the first month's rent (taken in advance).

My branch don't seem to understand periodic tenancies; every other letter seems to refer to a fixed term tenancy that no longer exists.

Their fees (in Guildford, 2006) were:
- Holding deposit (refundable): £225 (+ £75 per person for more than 2 people)
- Guarantor reference: £75
- Contract extension: £58.75
- Credit card surcharge: 1.8%
- Checkout inventory: £70

Deposit is equivalent to 1 1/2 month's rent, and the first month's rent is paid up front.

Although I had a bad experience with this company, I might use them again because they operate at the cheaper end of the market, and their fees are not high compared to many other companies.

Comment on this review

Reviewed by Lupin on 14th April 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: SMT.STD.UNZ.UZD

They are terrible. It took me 2 months to get my contract. When we gave notice to leave the house, the landlady did not want to go on with them and in spite of they were showing the house without having keys. They even came to the house without any confirmation that someone was there. It took me a month to get the deposit back when everything in the house was perfect. I believed the other review about trying to get money from the deposit. We knew that, so they could not find anything to charge us, but we cleaned like crazy for a weekend.

Comment on this review

Reviewed by Lee on 4th March 2008

Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?  No
IP address: EJ3.ERI.JBQ.9BB

Rather than using the checkout/inventory/deposit as a way of fixing anything that may have become worn or damaged during the occupancy, Leaders seem to use it as simply another way to make money.

Comment on this review