“It's a shame how things ended with this agency.I ......”
1 Star Review
Aug 10,2017
By:
'L.'
Aug 10,2017
Branch: Portsmouth, 157-159 Albert Road
Services: Lettings (as a Tenant)
Would you recommend?: No
Postcode: PO5
Branch: Portsmouth, 157-159 Albert Road
Lettings (as a Tenant)
Postcode: PO5
8
people found
this helpful
It's a shame how things ended with this agency.
I was in a student let for the academic year 2016-2017, and throughout the year, when we had problems, Erica was often quick to sort them out. This is apart from when our fridge broke and we were left without one for a week, which was rather annoying and awkward, seeing as we had to throw away a fridge full of food, yet we didn't kick up a fuss.
Dealing with Clare has been one of the most unfortunate and unpleasant occurrences of my life, so far. What she lacks in customer service and manners, she certainly does not make up for in attitude. It took me a week to actually get her on the phone to discuss my deposit return, after sending her many emails. Things quickly took a bad turn, and before I knew it, she had raised her voice so much that my partner, who was sat in the other room, could hear her word-for-word. There were charges for things such as rubbish removal, which was not shown in the checkout report, which she quickly removed, along with a few other price discrepancies. What she failed to comprehend was why I was disputing the price of cleaning, as I didn't agree that some rooms needed cleaning, which were stated on the checkout report (with no evidence, I might add), yet the overall charge was rather expensive. Clare then informed me that the work would be carried out regardless on whether we agreed to it being done (i.e. whether we dispute it or not) and that we are responsible for paying for it.
When I told her how unhappy I was because the deposit is a lot of money, she ‘umm'd' as if to say: I don't think so". She soon raised her voice again, and complained that I wasn't letting her speak and mentioned how for the THIRD time I [she] will explain again" about cleaning charges, yet every time I tried to speak, she would talk over me. She then accused me of being nit-picky; because caring about how much money is being taken from you is clearly a very trivial matter, and actually asked how much I think a cleaning company should charge. Clearly, that would depend on what needed cleaning, which is what I was trying to dispute in the first place, especially as I have photo evidence, which is something that the checkout report lacked. We have been made to feel that the option to go to dispute is unavailable, as the work has already been done.
My problem here is that the agency know that we are students and try to play on this fact, assuming we are young and naïve, and do not like the fact that we will stand up for what is right. I didn't even get to finish negotiating on certain charges because we were going round and round in circles and every time I tried to bring something up, she would raise her voice, yet again. She was also extremely condescending, which I told her I didn't appreciate, to which she replied (by shouting down the phone, naturally) that she thought I was being rude because I said that. So it was actually myself that said we were getting nowhere, as she seemed like she would have continued arguing for the rest of the day, and as a result backed down and accepted the charges. FYI, the other price I was unhappy with was being charged £67 for a broken tile in a bathroom suite that is older than I am, especially as the other broken tiles in the bathroom have just been filled in with a bit of mastic, so I wonder how this repair will be done... It is not in our culture to barter, yet it was almost as if she was trying to do so. For example, laundering the 2 sets of curtains that are in the house (which we were not told we would be charged for, at all), was going to be £30, and apparently last year was only £15, so let's call it inflation". Fortunately for me, Clare would accept £20, despite the work already being done and her not budging on the price of cleaning. She also almost incorrectly charged us for carpet cleaning, which, had I not queried, we most definitely would have been overcharged. Maths clearly isn't Clare's strong point, which is worrying when she is dealing with you getting your money back.
One tenant damaged his wardrobe doors and is being charged for it, yet the charge is coming out of all of our deposits, as that's not how we [they] do things", and it is up to us to get our money from the responsible tenant. Obviously, this seemed ridiculous in itself, so I mentioned how we didn't pay rent for his room to which Clare's response was well you would have if he didn't pay his rent". Surely, if he ever failed to pay his rent his guarantor would be responsible for this, not the other tenants.
Clare is a disgrace to this agency and should be ashamed of herself and the way she speaks to people and clients. Everything seemed like it was too much effort for her, such as opening up the checkout document on her computer, and she is too quick to raise her voice and start speaking to you as if you are a scorned school-child. If she is as unhappy as she seems about her job when speaking with people, then she should not work for this agency, let alone be the OFFICE MANAGER; perhaps someone who has more people skills and a conscience should be in charge, instead.
I would not recommend this agency if it was the last one in Portsmouth while she still had a role within it.
Comment on agent fees
Fees are standard, perhaps a less than the average for student lets.
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