Ludlow Thompson
Customer Reviews
Reviewed by rl2008 on 27th August 2008
Services: Lettings (as a Tennant)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
Yes
Too costly, for doing very little. But have few complaints otherwise.
Reviewed by obstante on 28th June 2008
Services: Lettings (as a Landlord)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
Never again. I had so many bad experiences with Ludlow Thompson that I don't know from where to start. One of the unacceptable things they did is that they refused to give me my own flat key at the end of the contract, which is a breach of contract and also raises suspicions about their conduct.
Reviewed by SD on 21st May 2008
Services: Lettings (as a Landlord)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
Ludlow has been managing a property for me since March 2007.
Let me categorise the failures in service so that other landlords have an idea of my ordeal.
(1) Pre-tenancy
The fiasco began with several 'negotiators' from the same office competing with each other - taking deposits etc even before I had a chance to agree anything with no obvious communication between them
Finally I agreed to a prospective tenant and a holding deposit was taken and his details were obtained for referencing. The tenant (from the Netherlands) was 'referenced' (in which - strangely - someone elses credit card details were taken instead of the actual tenants - so that rents could be charged if they later defaulted. I soon learned that the use of this card was unauthorised and my debtor amounts rose swiftly). The tenant was said to be of good credit yet a few weeks after moving in he asked me to sign DSS papers for him (which I declined).
(2) Tenancy
The tenancy was negotiated for 24 months and they took their management fees over 5 months up from for the whole period. Why this is done - I do not know - but the result of it is that once the benefit has been passed to them - there is no further incentive to actually manage the property efficiently.
I later learned that the tenant had been accepted and 'tenanted' despite the fact that he had never viewed the property.
The next part of the fiasco began when the tenant started to make demands and threats of legal action - apparently all sorts of furniture etc had been promised to him (without my knowledge) even though the tenancy was supposed to be UNFURNISHED. In the end I felt that in the interests of keeping the tenant (whom I beleived to be of good standing at the time) I shelled out a few hundred more to furnish the flat with some basic items.
(3) Management
I have two properties in this (new) block of flats. Both are managed by independent agents. One property - no issues ever other than the usual problem here and there. The property managed by Ludlow - seems to incur more repairs, call-outs and other costs than any other property I own. i.e. the property costs are disproportionate to other assets.
It is clear that they get some benefit from contracting out 'repair jobs' - some examples: (a) tenant couldnt use the dishwasher. Solution: Send a qualified engineer to show the tenant how to use the appliance. Cost: over £100. (b) tenant reported a leak in the toilet. Solutiuon: Send a plumber to assess. Cost: £100. (c) tenant reported the same leak (water passing into bowl) Solution: Replace something in the cistern. Cost: approx £250. (d) Tenant reported a 'leak' in the shower. Solution: Quote for new shower (??). Cost: over £1000 - I drew the line at that one and had it done for free by Aqua Lisa as there is a 5 yr warranty on all products!! (e) Other appliance issues and electrical 'problems' - cost - over £500. When I gave then the homeserve warranties I was told that if they were managing the proprty then they would have to use their 'own' contractors or else I would have to make various arrangements like issue keys to contractors and be there for appointments (from 8000 miles away) on my own as they would not take any 'responsibility' for external contractors (like the appliance manufacturers who would repair products for free with their highly trained engineers using new branded spare parts)
(4) Credit Control
The worst I have ever experienced. I am a non resident overseas landlord. I am about 8000 miles and several time zones away from the UK. I rely on these 'managing agents' to look after my best interests. NOT SO. The tenant has been in arrears since he moved in!!! Their version of credit control is a letter to the tenant and a copy to me. I have had about 10 of these letters. Sometimes they take months to get to me - even though I have asked them to email me rather than send letters as I am always travelling.
Now my tenant has decided to move on, 9 months early and I email the Client Manager daily and get no response. They have no 'head office' from a customer point of view and although the lettings team are more than happy to get me a new tenant (and charge me hundreds more in new finders fees) the management team are predictably silent and unreachable.
If they would refund the balance of the management fees I have paid - i would gladly go elsewhere.
To all you landlords out there - these guys are known to charge over market rates and justify it by 'getting you a tenant quicker'. But as I have learned - this has been a VERY expensive mistake for me. My tenant owes me £2450 and I can't even get hold of my 'client manager'. What a joke. Stay away from them. PLEASE.
Reviewed by George on 11th November 2007
Services: Lettings (as a Landlord)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
Whatever you do, DO NOT use Ludlow Thompson if you are letting property.
Their only interest is in getting their fee. They ignored my instructions, let the flat to an unsuitable tenant for longer than I wanted. Since then, they just don't want to know about it. Late rent? No rent? No action from Ludlow Thompson.
Don't use them.
Commented by Su on the 3rd January 2008
Dear George,
I am concerned to read your comments regarding your lettings experience with Ludlow Thompson. This is certainly not the experience we would wish you to have received and I would thus welcome you contacting me in order that I can investigate this further and resolve your concerns. Please contact me via customerservices@ludlowthompson.com and I will be happy to assist you. Regards, Su
Reviewed by PaulJM on 29th November 2006
Services: Sales (as a Buyer)
Property: Residential
Experience: Would you use the agent again?
No
Poor communication, didn't even pass my offers to the vendor. Bypassing Ludlow Thompson helped speeding up the process and I bought the house eventually.
Commented by clemmie on the 7th April 2008
I am writing on behalf of ludlowthompson to invite you to give me your contact details so we can learn more about your particular grievance.
If you are happy for me to contact you, kindly send me your telephone number, the best time of day to contact you and an outline of the issues to me at sucolledge@ludlowthompson.com
I do hope you will give us the chance to address this grievance even if you feel disenchanted with ludlowthompson; what you think is very important to us. We routinely ask every single one of our customers how they feel about our service and in the last year alone we received over 600 'excellent' feedback ratings. That said we do not rest on our laurels; sometimes, like any other business, things can and do go wrong and we are just as keen to hear about this and to resolve matters as far as possible. I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards
Su Colledge
Director
sucolledge@ludlowthompson.com
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Estate Agent Information
Ludlow Thompson
Established in 1993 with one of Europe's leading venture capitalist as shareholders (The 3i Group plc) we're one of London's leading edge Internet estate agencies with offices across London.
Offices / Branches
- Ealing (London)
- Haringey (London)
- Lambeth (London)
- Lewisham (London)
- Merton (London)
- Southwark (London)
- Tower Hamlets (London)
- Waltham Forest (London)
- Wandsworth (London)
Services
- Sales
- Lettings
Professional Membership
Commented by joe greer on the 30th May 2008
I'm also a non-resident landlord and having a nightmare of a time with Ludlow Thompson.
I'd value a chat with you to compare notes. You can reach me at joseph dot greer at the google mail system dot com if you can decipher that.
Thanks
Commented by obstante on the 28th June 2008
Hi,
I have the same feelings about Ludlow Thompson and I have reported the experiences I had with them to the ARLA, their regulatory body. I would suggest you to do the same as what they did is unacceptable. Unless we unsatisfied customers take action, there will be more victims of their wrongdoings like ourselves and they will continue benefitting from their mistakes and unprofessional behaviour while us continuing to loose a lot of money and time.
I would be grateful if you could contact me via e-mail so that we can discuss our experiences and take legal action together with people like us. My e-mail address is obstante@fsmail.net
We must do something about it as I believe that Ludlow Thompson shouldn't be given licence to let properties.
The overpaid commission fees, for example, should be refunded and by not giving it, Ludlow Thompson is abusing its bargaining powers, which is not acceptable in contract law.
Regards
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