1 Star Review
Jul 27,2018
By:
'It'
Jul 27,2018
Branch: Stamford, 2 Gooches Court , Bath Row
Services: Lettings (as a Landlord)
Would you recommend?: No
Postcode: PE9
Branch: Stamford, 2 Gooches Court , Bath Row
Lettings (as a Landlord)
Postcode: PE9
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In mid March 2018 when nearing the end of a 2 month refurbishment of my rental property I informed Leaders it would soon be available again for rental. After a visit by the Stamford manager, I was advised to increase the rent from £510 to £545. Within 24 hrs they found me a tenant who wanted the cottage as soon as possible. To achieve this I worked two weekends and completed the work on 29th March (Good Friday). The tenant turned out to be a very nice lady and moved in the next day. So everything looked good.
However, even though the tenant had moved in, we hadn't received any formal paperwork. Checking our emails on Easter Sunday we found an invoice for £209.30, except it showed that the rent being charged was only £495 not the £545 agreed. On Tuesday 3rd April I rang Leaders Stamford Ofice 4 times, 3 times I was told they would ring back but didn't. However at the 4th attempt I was told I would have to speak to the Branch Manager who was on holiday until the 12th. On the 13th I spoke to the manager, he admitted that the error was of their making, and as a 'goodwill gesture' said they would compensate me for the loss of income for the first 6 months of the tenancy (6 x £50) £300.
In practise nothing actually happened, except that I received and invoice from the 'Hub' saying I NOW owed them £308.76 (previously £209.30) with no mention of a refund. I contacted the Stamford Office and after a number of telephone calls managed to speak to the Branch Manager. I pointed out that on the latest invoice they had not deducted the tenant's first payment to them of £495, and in fact THEY OWED me nearly £200, he confirmed my findings. On the 28th May I received a credit note for £186 which stated that the money had been paid into my bank.
I waited a week but it didn't appear in my account so on the 29th May I contacted them again and said I had not received the money as promised. Eventually the money appeared in my account on the 1st June.
This saga, which is all of Leaders making, had so far taken over 2 months to resolve. During this time I had made over 10 phone calls, sent numerous emails and delivered two letters by hand. For all this hassle I felt I should get some compnesation. I made this comment but it fell on deaf ears, saying they had acted 'in goodwill'. I found insulting, as all the errors were of their making and any goodwill was on my part.
Because of chaotic administration I felt I ahould get a full refund of the charges. So on the 28/6/18 I wrote a letter to the Head Office stating this, I was supposed to get and acknowledgement to this letter in 3 days. I didn't, and AFTER 3 WEEKS (20/7/18) i rang the Head Office, they (Peter Moate) confirmed that they had received the letter on the 2nd JULY. At this intervention they apologised for all their errors and agreed to give us a full refund of my fees which we received on the 24th July.
In fairness to all the staff involved in this fiasco, at no time did they try to attribute any of the failings to us.
Comment on agent fees
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