100% sales valuation accuracy
100% sales fee satisfaction
100% lettings valuation accuracy
99% lettings fee satisfaction
Aug 16,2011
Aug 16,2011
10
people found
this helpful
this helpful
In every way, right from the beginning, Ballards was terrible when it came to being a tenant in a rental property. When we initially went to view properties, we were treated in a way that made it clear the agent thought we were wasting his time, despite making it clear from the beginning that we had to choose something/anything that same day with available cash for up to 3 months rent.
When we had chosen a property to rent, the staff in the office lacked the knowledge and experience on what to do. They did not know where lease contracts were located in their office, did not know where to sign, had to constantly go back and forth checking whether this form or that form was needed, etc. Overall, it was incredibly unprofessional.
Once we moved into the property, the interactions with Ballards did not improve. We immediately reported a small list of significant considerations within the property that either needed addressing or simply documenting. We were informed to wait until we received the inventory report and document it there. We wound up not receiving the inventory report for 2 months despite multiple calls and emails to Ballards. When we did receive the inventory report it was back-dated as if it were delivered within the first week of our tenancy. We would not accept the dates on the documents and after standing our ground they updated the documents to contain the appropriate dates in which we received the inventory report. By then, the problems we initially reported were 2 months past, to which Ballards argued why we didn't report it sooner. It was a back and forth argument which we were able to prove our side with telephone records and emails. Ridiculous.
A few months later the cold water tap in the bathroom broke beyond repair due to age, requiring full replacement. In addition, mold/damp had begun to grow from behind 2 walls. We reported both issues to Ballards immediately in writing. Fast forward 5 months, dozens of phone calls, dozens of emails, 5 or 6 in-person visits to their office, and the tap was still not fixed and the mold/damp was still an issue (we continued to clean it on the surface but it continued to grow from behind the walls). Only after a very stern face-to-face conversation and threatening to withhold future rent payments and reclaim past rent for negligence was any action taken. Even so, it took a further month for everything to be resolved, despite the agent promising it would all be taken care of in 1 business week.
We are a patient and understanding couple who take care of any property we rent as it were our own, doing maintenance work where possible to our own expense. Had Ballards been more professional and taken care of issues when reported, we very well could have resided in the property for years. We obviously did not and when it came time to moving out, the charges attempted to be claimed were ridiculous: they wanted to charge us for the mold/damp damage to the walls, carpet, and curtains. In the end our extensive documentation of phone calls, emails, written reports, and in-person visits to their office held ground that we had done everything we could to report and take care of the issue and that their negligence was the issue at hand.
Now every time I see a Ballards sign next to a property I cringe, hoping and praying whomever is doing business with them is getting far better service than we received. I should note that the overall time frame of our tenancy was 2 years, so this was not an issue with just one or two specific people at Ballards--it was the entirety of their staff, including new ones that started their employment with Ballards during the course of our tenancy. Obviously they have an inherent culture of treating rental tenants unprofessionally and without any consideration or respect. As we are now in the market for buying a house, out of moral and ethical principle I wouldn't buy a house through Ballards even if it were my dream home.
When we had chosen a property to rent, the staff in the office lacked the knowledge and experience on what to do. They did not know where lease contracts were located in their office, did not know where to sign, had to constantly go back and forth checking whether this form or that form was needed, etc. Overall, it was incredibly unprofessional.
Once we moved into the property, the interactions with Ballards did not improve. We immediately reported a small list of significant considerations within the property that either needed addressing or simply documenting. We were informed to wait until we received the inventory report and document it there. We wound up not receiving the inventory report for 2 months despite multiple calls and emails to Ballards. When we did receive the inventory report it was back-dated as if it were delivered within the first week of our tenancy. We would not accept the dates on the documents and after standing our ground they updated the documents to contain the appropriate dates in which we received the inventory report. By then, the problems we initially reported were 2 months past, to which Ballards argued why we didn't report it sooner. It was a back and forth argument which we were able to prove our side with telephone records and emails. Ridiculous.
A few months later the cold water tap in the bathroom broke beyond repair due to age, requiring full replacement. In addition, mold/damp had begun to grow from behind 2 walls. We reported both issues to Ballards immediately in writing. Fast forward 5 months, dozens of phone calls, dozens of emails, 5 or 6 in-person visits to their office, and the tap was still not fixed and the mold/damp was still an issue (we continued to clean it on the surface but it continued to grow from behind the walls). Only after a very stern face-to-face conversation and threatening to withhold future rent payments and reclaim past rent for negligence was any action taken. Even so, it took a further month for everything to be resolved, despite the agent promising it would all be taken care of in 1 business week.
We are a patient and understanding couple who take care of any property we rent as it were our own, doing maintenance work where possible to our own expense. Had Ballards been more professional and taken care of issues when reported, we very well could have resided in the property for years. We obviously did not and when it came time to moving out, the charges attempted to be claimed were ridiculous: they wanted to charge us for the mold/damp damage to the walls, carpet, and curtains. In the end our extensive documentation of phone calls, emails, written reports, and in-person visits to their office held ground that we had done everything we could to report and take care of the issue and that their negligence was the issue at hand.
Now every time I see a Ballards sign next to a property I cringe, hoping and praying whomever is doing business with them is getting far better service than we received. I should note that the overall time frame of our tenancy was 2 years, so this was not an issue with just one or two specific people at Ballards--it was the entirety of their staff, including new ones that started their employment with Ballards during the course of our tenancy. Obviously they have an inherent culture of treating rental tenants unprofessionally and without any consideration or respect. As we are now in the market for buying a house, out of moral and ethical principle I wouldn't buy a house through Ballards even if it were my dream home.
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Latest Reviews
26th Feb 2019
reviewed by 'Cat'
21st Feb 2019
reviewed by 'Paul'
8th Mar 2017
reviewed by 'Neale'
Opening Hours
Address
Ballards
20 Hart Street
Henley on Thames
Oxfordshire
RG9 2AU
01491 411055
Performance statistics
| Services | Valuation Accuracy | Fees Satisfaction | Min Price of property reviewed | Max Price of property reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 100% | 100% | £450,000 | £775,000 |
| Lettings | 100% | 99% | £950 | £950 |
Review statistics
| From Landlords | From Tenants | From Vendors | From Buyers | Other | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Areas covered
Services offered
- Sales
- Lettings
- Block Management
- Surveys
- Conveyancing
- Mortgage Advice
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Latest Properties
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Mar 08,2019
Mar 08,2019
0
people found
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The sale of Duffields, Medmenham by Ballards of Henley highlights the success of going LOCAL. The decision to go with Ballards resulted in almost immediate success - a local buyer connecting with a local agent- with 30 years experience in the area - resulting in the ...
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Comment on agent fees
Very acceptable - they even pay to have the brochures printed.
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Feb 26,2019
Feb 26,2019
0
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Ballards have sold my last 2 houses in Henley. In both cases James Kilkenny was my main contact. Their approach was professional and effective , together with being friendly and supportive. For both properties they were very quickly able to arrange viewings for interested buyers and offers ...
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Comment on agent fees
Normal
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Feb 22,2019
Feb 22,2019
0
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In the current difficult market James dealt professionally and tenaciously with the sale of our property which was in need of modernisation....
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Comment on agent fees
Competitive
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Feb 21,2019
Feb 21,2019
0
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very pleased with the sale and purchase through Ballards, they were not over optimistic with the house pricing like other agents and have a more customer centric approach than a pure sales approach whcih makes them a pleasure to deal with as a buyer and ...
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Comment on agent fees
in line with the local market
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Mar 08,2017
Mar 08,2017
2
people found
this helpful
this helpful
I recently bought a house from Ballards and cannot praise them highly enough. James managed the process and if it was not for him, I am sure that the deal would have fallen through. They are proactive and accommodating and when I come to sell, ...
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Comment on agent fees
Not Applicable
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Mar 03,2017
Mar 03,2017
2
people found
this helpful
this helpful
We bought our home through Ballards and we were extremely impressed with their efficient, professional and friendly service. I would certainly recommend them to friends and family....
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Mar 03,2017
Mar 03,2017
2
people found
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this helpful
James is an excellent estate agent. He is honest and trustworthy and is knowledgeable about the area and property. Ballards always has a good selection of properties for sale and the staff are all extremely helpful....
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Mar 02,2017
Mar 02,2017
2
people found
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this helpful
An excellent service from James throughout a particularly complicated sale of two properties. Calm, professional, thorough and clear communication between all parties throughout the process, leading to a very satisfactory outcome...
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Comment on agent fees
Good....very competitive
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Feb 28,2017
Feb 28,2017
2
people found
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this helpful
We can highly recommend James from Ballards in Henley. He was very helpful when we bought our property and we contacted him again when we decided to sell. James was exceptional with providing very accurate property valuation, attracting buyers and managing the sale. We had ...
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Comment on agent fees
The fees were very fair.
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Feb 25,2017
Feb 25,2017
2
people found
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Having lived in Henley for the best part of 20 years, Ballards were the obvious choice when it came to selling my house. The Ballards team in general, and James in particular, provided a really excellent service - they had been recommended to me by friends ...
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Comment on agent fees
In the pack
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Feb 24,2017
Feb 24,2017
1
people found
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Oliver kept in touch throughout the course of my search and eventually found a great little investment property for me in the Town Centre - i'll be going back to Ballards to rent it in the near future...
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Comment on agent fees
Good
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Feb 24,2017
Feb 24,2017
2
people found
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I rented through Ballards for two years and the whole process was smooth and hassle free. Huey and Grace did a great job of finding my flat and resolving any maintenance issues quickly....
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Feb 22,2017
Feb 22,2017
3
people found
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this helpful
We found Ballards exceptionally easy to deal with on a very difficult and stressful purchase!
James was always available, very professional and helpful. We would definitely use them again....
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Aug 16,2011
Aug 16,2011
10
people found
this helpful
this helpful
In every way, right from the beginning, Ballards was terrible when it came to being a tenant in a rental property. When we initially went to view properties, we were treated in a way that made it clear the agent thought we were wasting his ...
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No fees information available
Kindly note that legally, letting agents need to publish information about their tenancy fees, government-approved redress schemes and client money protection schemes on their website and on third party websites (on which agents are listed). For properties to lease/rent in England, agents need to keep this information up to date and precise on allAgents or specify within the property description.
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