Mr Green,

[Quote] ''We work very hard to offer a good and friendly service, and I was sorry to hear on this occasion we didn’t meet your expectations'' [Unquote]

I beg to differ. Not only have I had dealings with your offices in Tamworth but I've also dealt with the office in Sutton Coldfield. Your staff are rude and could do with some training. You can bury your head in the sand all you want but the fact is that your staff are failing in customer service and in the process they are driving your business into the hands of other estate agents. A positive 'word of mouth' is important for any business (and I should know because I run my own) - Let me assure you that quite a few people who I have encountered do not see the company in an entirely positive light. I accept this is a very critical appraisal of Green's but you can either take offence and come back with a disgruntled and defensive comment or act on a review that is meant to be helpful.

I write response to your review posted 30th August 2012.

With regard to payments made to Landlords, it is generally accepted that when asked by a Landlord, one can be confident to inform Landlords that they should receive their money within 7-10 working days following the receipt of Rent (even though in the actual contract it does state 14 days) as this is usually the case. I am advised that in your case the net amount of Rent was received by you in the tenth working day and because this initial payment included and additional amount for an additional deposit of £150.00 this had to be processed separately to record this which resulted in a delay in this amount being sent to you. That said, I am advised by Laura Hollyhead (Accounts) that this payment was sent separately and received by you on the thirteenth working day. This issue was raised by Sarah and sent to our Accounts department for them to advise you, which I note was done on the 10th August by email sent from Laura.

All utility letters are sent out by the first let department to the utility companies as confirmed by your terms and conditions, unfortunately I cannot confirm their turn around time for correspondence nor can I confirm that Royal Mail have successfully delivered the letters on time but this is usual practice and copies are sent to both landlord and tenant with covering letters to explain the complications we occasionally come across.

I can see from the note on our Management system that Sarah did call South Staffs Water on the 10th August 2012 to confirm the activity on changing the occupiers and she emailed you the same day to confirm this.

We made you aware that the proposed tenants although do not own pets occasionally they would need to "pet sit’ a family dog with no claws or teeth at the property, I am advised that various conversations between yourself and Dan rectified this issue by way of a supplemental deposit, additional inventory photos and three monthly checks at the property that we were to attend along with yourself, something I understand Sarah offered at no extra cost to you but would usually be undertaken at an additional charge as this would be above and beyond our normal ‘Let Only’ service, however Sarah agreed there was to be no charge

I have spoken to Dan and he has informed me that he did compose the addendum that was to be signed by the tenant confirming the above, Sarah scanned and checked the addendum on the morning of move in but received your copy before it was sent and therefore used the one that you had put together to save time and any confusion.

I turn now to the situation around the hornet’s nest discovered by you the day before your tenants were due to move in. I understand from speaking to Sarah that she offered to organise this via our contractor in an attempt to save you money. Sarah did also inform me that during conversations throughout the day, the contractor of whom she tried to contact did not return her calls this despite numerous attempts but it was during this time you were successful in organizing a contractor to attend. This again this is something Sarah offered to do but not standard to our ‘Let Only’ service and was merely offered as help to save on your costs.

The provision of a breakdown of funds that you requested is a discipline always undertaken by our Accounts department but only after forwarding all contractors invoices in relation to the set up of every first let, primarily to ensure that all the works invoiced for are completed satisfactory before the appropriate deductions can be made.

Once payment is sent, the file is sorted and documents posted to the Landlord, again the timescales for this are the same for all our offices, but files should be received at least within the 28 days required to register the deposit.

In this case, Jo did work out your payment for you but as I indicated this is not normal practice and Landlords would have to wait for their move in file and statement something all of our Landlords are happy to do.

I am informed that the fees charged were reduced from the outset, along with a free inventory, reduced gas and electrical charges, further inventory photos and an extra visit to the property carried out, property inspections agreed free of charge, keys collected from another agency on your behalf and all this for what was a Let Only Service"

We work very hard to offer a good and friendly service, and I was sorry to hear on this occasion we didn’t meet your expectations. If you would like to contact me directly, then please call 0121 240 8844

Yours Sincerely

Christopher D Green FNAEA MARLA
Managing Director
Green & Co Ltd