27% sales valuation accuracy
33% sales fee satisfaction
50% lettings valuation accuracy
33% lettings fee satisfaction
This company is no longer in business.
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Mar 05,2019
Mar 05,2019
5
people found
this helpful
this helpful
I wish we had read all reviews about this Agent before renting a house. When after 15 months we gave up the tenancy, and the exit inspection was undertaken, we applied to the approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme company which held our deposit requesting that it be repaid. We were aghast and shocked to be told by LPS Scotland (Letting Protection Service Scotland), that Homes 4 U (Scotland) were requesting the entire £725 deposit plus seeking an additional sum of almost £500 to cover various costs for cleaning, a 50% charge for the complete internal redecoration of the property, gardening, replacing damaged and missing items, etc.
At this initial stage LPS Scotland advised us to speak to the landlord first and seek additional information on the charges levied including copies of the estimates/invoices before agreeing to them (LPSS) undertaking an adjudication of the dispute.
Not having the landlord's address noted in our Tenancy Agreement, which was actually contrary to paragraph 4.3 of the Scottish Government's Tenant Information Pack, we sought further information from Homes 4 U but they were unhelpful in a very brusque manner. They told us âIt's the landlord who has requested that we arrange for the work to be done and the decision has nothing to do with usâ. When we asked for the landlord's address so that we could ask for sight of invoices etc, they refused to give it. This of course was contrary to the relevant legislation. We later found the address on the internet on the Scottish Government's Scottish Landlord Register and wrote to her. As an aside it is surely very questionable for Homes 4 U to refuse to give an address that is freely available on the Internet. The problem for tenants is clearly to know where to look for information.
In response to my letter I was shocked to receive a somewhat threatening and abusive email from the Director of Homes 4 U chastising me for getting in touch. At this point we decided to leave everything in the hands of LPSS as further contact with Homes 4 U would probably just result in them sending more acrimonious emails.
Before we moved out we cleaned everything and also employed a professional cleaner to give it a thorough deep clean on top of what we had done. Luckily we took photos. Fortunately LPSS rejected the bulk of the cleaning costs sought by Homes 4 U and awarded most of them to us only keeping back a reduced amount for the cleaning of carpets as we had 2 pet cats (fair enough). We were also being charged for the cleaning of the fridge/freezer but luckily I had taken numerous photos of what was a pristine item which I submitted to LPSS. This charge was rejected by LPSS along with charges to clean down the back of radiators, cleaning the washing machine, etc. In respect of âDamaged itemsâ we were being charged for repair of the threshold plate at front door which was âscratched and markedâ and for a new toilet brush as the existing one was dirty. Homes 4 U were clearly plumbing the depths with this one. LPSS rightly rejected these spurious claims. As noted previously we were being charged 50% of the entire redecoration costs. This apparently included the costs of covering over holes in the wall next to one of the windows which we did not create. We were never shown photographic evidence of this but think that the holes were where a roller blind had fallen down during our tenancy. However this defect was not covered in the moving in report so it couldn't be proved that we had not created them.
At the exit inspection, the Inspector was quite glowing about the property and work my dad had done in the garden as compared to others she had seen but said the final decision rested with the landlord.
Incidentally we eventually became aware that the moving in report we were asked to sign was prepared for the previous tenant as many of the points listed were clearly incorrect.
The initial good service from Homes 4 U only lasted a few short weeks. Almost from the start we received letters informing us that the house was due to be inspected and that if access was denied we would be fined £35. This threat was also given when we were instructed to come in and sign new 6 monthly leases. These actions were clearly against the law with regards to Section 82 of the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984, and Section 48 of the Schedule to the Letting Agent Code of Practice (Scotland) Regulations 2016.
Throughout our tenancy we had to keep reminding Homes 4 U about repairs that were necessary. The blame for them not being undertaken was always laid at the landlord's door.
We were unaware at the time that we should have been allowed to see a copy of the moving out inspection. We were never given this opportunity and just wish we had seen exactly what had been noted.
Eventually LPSS awarded us £397 from the £725. They disregarded the additional spurious charges as they were outwith their remit. However this whole process took over 7 months to be resolved. Thank goodness we didn't desperately need access to the £397 during this period.
Please, please, please - potential future tenants, do not use this Letting Agent company. If unfortunately you do then take photos of everything when you move in, and when you eventually leave, and make sure every small point and detail is noted in the moving in report as no doubt they will try and take you to the cleaners as they did with us.
Incidentally , Homes 4 U Scotland recently changed their name to Stephens Estates Ltd. Prior to Homes 4 U they were called Lets 4 U. Clearly Stephens Estates Ltd is a company to steer clear off as well.
At this initial stage LPS Scotland advised us to speak to the landlord first and seek additional information on the charges levied including copies of the estimates/invoices before agreeing to them (LPSS) undertaking an adjudication of the dispute.
Not having the landlord's address noted in our Tenancy Agreement, which was actually contrary to paragraph 4.3 of the Scottish Government's Tenant Information Pack, we sought further information from Homes 4 U but they were unhelpful in a very brusque manner. They told us âIt's the landlord who has requested that we arrange for the work to be done and the decision has nothing to do with usâ. When we asked for the landlord's address so that we could ask for sight of invoices etc, they refused to give it. This of course was contrary to the relevant legislation. We later found the address on the internet on the Scottish Government's Scottish Landlord Register and wrote to her. As an aside it is surely very questionable for Homes 4 U to refuse to give an address that is freely available on the Internet. The problem for tenants is clearly to know where to look for information.
In response to my letter I was shocked to receive a somewhat threatening and abusive email from the Director of Homes 4 U chastising me for getting in touch. At this point we decided to leave everything in the hands of LPSS as further contact with Homes 4 U would probably just result in them sending more acrimonious emails.
Before we moved out we cleaned everything and also employed a professional cleaner to give it a thorough deep clean on top of what we had done. Luckily we took photos. Fortunately LPSS rejected the bulk of the cleaning costs sought by Homes 4 U and awarded most of them to us only keeping back a reduced amount for the cleaning of carpets as we had 2 pet cats (fair enough). We were also being charged for the cleaning of the fridge/freezer but luckily I had taken numerous photos of what was a pristine item which I submitted to LPSS. This charge was rejected by LPSS along with charges to clean down the back of radiators, cleaning the washing machine, etc. In respect of âDamaged itemsâ we were being charged for repair of the threshold plate at front door which was âscratched and markedâ and for a new toilet brush as the existing one was dirty. Homes 4 U were clearly plumbing the depths with this one. LPSS rightly rejected these spurious claims. As noted previously we were being charged 50% of the entire redecoration costs. This apparently included the costs of covering over holes in the wall next to one of the windows which we did not create. We were never shown photographic evidence of this but think that the holes were where a roller blind had fallen down during our tenancy. However this defect was not covered in the moving in report so it couldn't be proved that we had not created them.
At the exit inspection, the Inspector was quite glowing about the property and work my dad had done in the garden as compared to others she had seen but said the final decision rested with the landlord.
Incidentally we eventually became aware that the moving in report we were asked to sign was prepared for the previous tenant as many of the points listed were clearly incorrect.
The initial good service from Homes 4 U only lasted a few short weeks. Almost from the start we received letters informing us that the house was due to be inspected and that if access was denied we would be fined £35. This threat was also given when we were instructed to come in and sign new 6 monthly leases. These actions were clearly against the law with regards to Section 82 of the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984, and Section 48 of the Schedule to the Letting Agent Code of Practice (Scotland) Regulations 2016.
Throughout our tenancy we had to keep reminding Homes 4 U about repairs that were necessary. The blame for them not being undertaken was always laid at the landlord's door.
We were unaware at the time that we should have been allowed to see a copy of the moving out inspection. We were never given this opportunity and just wish we had seen exactly what had been noted.
Eventually LPSS awarded us £397 from the £725. They disregarded the additional spurious charges as they were outwith their remit. However this whole process took over 7 months to be resolved. Thank goodness we didn't desperately need access to the £397 during this period.
Please, please, please - potential future tenants, do not use this Letting Agent company. If unfortunately you do then take photos of everything when you move in, and when you eventually leave, and make sure every small point and detail is noted in the moving in report as no doubt they will try and take you to the cleaners as they did with us.
Incidentally , Homes 4 U Scotland recently changed their name to Stephens Estates Ltd. Prior to Homes 4 U they were called Lets 4 U. Clearly Stephens Estates Ltd is a company to steer clear off as well.
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Latest Reviews
14th Mar 2019
reviewed by 'Michael'
5th Mar 2019
reviewed by 'Unhappy'
13th Feb 2019
reviewed by 'Angry'
17th May 2018
reviewed by 'unbelievable'
22nd Mar 2018
reviewed by 'Phil'
12th Jan 2018
reviewed by 'Upset'
Opening Hours
Address
Lets 4 U
Unit 3 Waverly Street
,Bathgate
West Lothian
EH48 4JA
0844 8470830
Performance statistics
| Services | Valuation Accuracy | Fees Satisfaction | Min Price of property reviewed | Max Price of property reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 27% | 33% | £0 | £0 |
| Lettings | 50% | 33% | £550 | £1,750 |
Review statistics
| From Landlords | From Tenants | From Vendors | From Buyers | Other | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Areas covered
Services offered
- Sales
- Lettings
- Block Management
- Surveys
- Conveyancing
- Mortgage Advice
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Latest Properties
No Properties
Mar 14,2019
Mar 14,2019
2
people found
this helpful
this helpful
It's hard to put into words just how deplorable, unprofessional and arrogant Homes4u (or indeed any other 4u name they are going under at that time) are; however this is what this review will set out to do.
My partner and I took on ...
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Comment on agent fees
Awful.
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Mar 05,2019
Mar 05,2019
5
people found
this helpful
this helpful
I wish we had read all reviews about this Agent before renting a house. When after 15 months we gave up the tenancy, and the exit inspection was undertaken, we applied to the approved Tenancy Deposit Scheme company which held our deposit requesting that it be ...
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Feb 13,2019
Feb 13,2019
6
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Absolutely disgraceful company and that is giving them credit. We have been waiting almost A YEAR for the one toilet in our house to be fixed (cistern has to be refilled by hand). They sent a plumber round last march - turned out to be ...
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May 17,2018
May 17,2018
8
people found
this helpful
this helpful
So unprofessional and some (you know who I mean) were totally nasty !!! Do not go near this so called letting agent....
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Comment on agent fees
Total joke.
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Mar 22,2018
Mar 22,2018
8
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Do Not Rent a Property from Karen Stephen (Homes4u). This is a concise account of what happened to my partner and I. We viewed Post Office House in Main Street Westfield Bathgate. Karen Stephen was present during the viewing. We were told the property ...
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Comment on agent fees
Charges top prices for non existent service
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Jan 12,2018
Jan 12,2018
7
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Avoid at all costs. We were a tenant and kept the flat in very good condition. When it came to getting the deposit back thwy claimed we had caused thousands of pounds worth of damage! Thankfully we won the case and got our money back!
...
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Sep 24,2016
Sep 24,2016
6
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Total jokers, avoid at all costs! Horrendous experience as a landlord whereby they placed some bill dodging skunk farmers into my property. Couldn't have been less interested. Lets4U were bafflingly oblivious to the fact that the tenants were subletting, they had repurposed a room ...
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Comment on agent fees
Fees were negated by losing 3 months plus rent. Turns out the insurance policy that they include as part of their service, is not worth the paper it's written on.
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May 19,2016
May 19,2016
4
people found
this helpful
this helpful
This is my experience and opinion. This was the most stressful company I have had dealings with. They didn't repair anything, ignored repair requests and calls become cold and staff hard to contact. Because they know they fully intend to take your whole deposit regardless ...
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What agent could do to change your mind?
my friend they tried to keep whole deposit after reference check failed yet gave it back when confronted. They fabricated charges to attempt to keep my deposit. Be warnedAttached Filesnbsp;
Comment on agent fees
my friend they tried to keep whole deposit after reference check failed yet gave it back when confronted. They fabricated charges to attempt to keep my deposit. Be warned
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Oct 26,2015
Oct 26,2015
4
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Dealing with this company was one of the worst experiences of my life. So unprofessional it wasn't even funny, they resorted to completely ignoring emails and blocking my number. Effectively stole our £2000 deposit through ignoring me and my flatmates, slowing down and dragging the claiming ...
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What agent could do to change your mind?
oh and did I mention the flat was in a terrible state, with mattresses everywhere, dirty when we moved in (they had the cheek to claim for cleaning at the end of our lease when I personally spent a week cleaning the state that it was left in when we moved in), broken tumble dryer lying about, cupboards broken, beds broken, please stay awayAttached Filesnbsp;
Comment on agent fees
oh and did I mention the flat was in a terrible state, with mattresses everywhere, dirty when we moved in (they had the cheek to claim for cleaning at the end of our lease when I personally spent a week cleaning the state that it was left in when we moved in), broken tumble dryer lying about, cupboards broken, beds broken, please stay away
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Oct 08,2014
Oct 08,2014
3
people found
this helpful
this helpful
it was rubbish. substandard properties. horrible evicting tenants out when a tenant died. no repairs were done . you shouldn't of withheld rent from the landlord like mr delise deresta mentioned....
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What agent could do to change your mind?
it should be a property that was in perfect condition. it was substandard. it was horrible evicting tenants from 1 kaim crescent Bathgate eh48 1er just after their mum had died and putting the eviction notice in the deceased name. no repairs were done and they should have been done. you should have not withheld money from the landlord, as mr delise deresta mentioned, there should be better staff in the company.Attached Filesnbsp;
Comment on agent fees
they were rubbish.
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Sep 23,2014
Sep 23,2014
3
people found
this helpful
this helpful
Getting the property rented was easy enough and any queries were answered relatively easily.
I had some issues with staff being out of office but no messages or contingency plan set up to let my message still go through to another member of staff.
The ...
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Jun 30,2014
Jun 30,2014
4
people found
this helpful
this helpful
We thought we had found the perfect house, went through the vetting process and passed house was not available for about 6 weeks so paid the deposit. on the day we arrived at the agency to sign the agreement and pick up the keys then we ...
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What agent could do to change your mind?
We would have still taken the lease if they had delivered the agreed let as advertised and moved the furniture out. also when i asked to speak to Karen Stephens the owner of the company she just got Emma to call us so again not good service. at one point I had to call them every 30 min to get updates as they were very slow in getting back to me. as stated above AVOID AT ALL COSTS.Attached Filesnbsp;
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Feb 13,2014
Feb 13,2014
3
people found
this helpful
this helpful
A quick summary of our experience with Lets4U;
Initially good, seemed very helpful, blamed everything possible on the landlord and when we moved out, reclaimed all of the deposit.
4 months of leaking windows, broken radiatiors, mouldy walls, broken drainage and daily phonecalls and in-person ...
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What agent could do to change your mind?
Taking the whole deposit to cover the terms for "cleaning services" in the letting agreement.Attached Filesnbsp;
Attachments
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Jun 14,2013
Jun 14,2013
4
people found
this helpful
this helpful
A shockingly bad agency. Warning. Do not use this agency. All the staff come across as friendly and helpful. Helpful they are not. When viewing the flat we were told and shown that the cooker did not work properly. We sent repeated emails and called ...
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What agent could do to change your mind?
If they had done anything helpful it would have been nice.Attached Filesnbsp;
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Mar 22,2013
Mar 22,2013
3
people found
this helpful
this helpful
We were forced to call the agency repeatedly to enquire about whether international students would need guarantors residing in the UK, each time they told us they would get back to us in within a couple of hours. This never happened. After the 5th phone ...
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What agent could do to change your mind?
See above. Primarily, they could have called us back when they said they would, and let us know when the property had been taken. We had to mail the forms to the agency, with no way of knowing whether they would reach the intended party. The landlord who showed us around the property could have been much more helpful with giving her address/details so we could have gotten our forms to her sooner.Attached Filesnbsp;
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Feb 27,2013
Feb 27,2013
4
people found
this helpful
this helpful
I moved into the flat which had no toilet seat, bathroom flooring as pulled up due to a previous leak which had caused terrible dampness in the bathroom and cupboard which went untreated the 2 years I was in the flat which spread to the kitchen. ...
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What agent could do to change your mind?
Had the flat habitable when I moved in. Fixed/replcaed my fridge freezer earlier than 7 weeks or refunded my rent. fixed the terrible dampness present throughout the 2 years of my tenancy. Refunded my deposit - 11 weeks on and I am still waiting. Replied to emails Not altered their inspection reports at a later date to get out of replacing the kitchen lino.Attached Filesnbsp;
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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.
Complaints Procedure
Complaints made in writing can be forwarded onto manager and we will do everything we can to resolve this
Last updated at 3:13 PM 07/04/2014 by samantha weir
