38% lettings valuation accuracy
38% lettings fee satisfaction
Feb 16,2021
Feb 16,2021
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I feel like it is a cliché here, but I would happily give 0 stars if I could. The issues I had with Leaders were almost comically bad in duration and severity. I blame myself for ignoring the warning signs before signing a tenancy. Please don't make the same mistake.
I was a tenant through Leaders from August 2019 to August 2020 and I had issues at every stage: before my tenancy, during my tenancy and even after my tenancy. Enjoy.
Pre-tenancy:
- I had multiple appointments to view multiple properties to rent in mid-2019. On 2 occasions the lettings agent was late and on one of these occasions she was almost 30 minutes late. She did apologise though so that was something.
- On another occasion the letting agent brought the wrong key to the appointment. She wasted both her time and mine (but once again at least she apologised).
- After these relatively minor hiccups I applied for an apartment and was informed that I was successful. I happily paid a £323 fee and I confirmed it was taken off the market (anyone who has rented in Cambridge probably knows that applying for places is very competitive). Unfortunately, I was informed via email 15 days later that the previous tenant had decided to stay on and that my tenancy was void. This was 8 days before I was due to move in. I received no apology and was made to feel like I was an idiot because I thought that the fee I paid meant that I was guaranteed the apartment. I was left to scramble to find a place to live before I started work the following week. In my desperation, I applied for another place via Leaders because I was now in an enormous rush to find a place to live. This was completely my fault as I ignored all the warning signs and I'm afraid I paid severely for this mistake.
Intra-tenancy:
- One of the first things I noticed was that the letterbox key did not fit the apartment letterbox. It actually fit the letterbox that was next to my letterbox. This was a mild nuisance and rather amusing but did need a locksmith to come fix
- The smoke detector was intermittently beeping (the single very high-pitched beep that signifies that it is low on battery). I would usually just change the battery myself, but I was rather annoyed that I had to do something that should have been done before I was there so I informed Leaders. I thought they would have just sent someone over to replace the battery but instead they installed an entirely new device. It worked but I thought it was a waste of resources.
- The third thing I noticed very soon after moving in was that the washing machine was not draining water after a wash, which meant that my clothes were completely drenched. After a simple investigation I found that the filter was completely clogged with years of decayed and extremely foul-smelling material. The kicker was that when I opened the filter foul-smelling water spilled all over the kitchen floor. There was still the need to clean the filter so I wandered around the complex looking for an outdoor tap to rinse and clean the filter. Unfortunately, I couldn't find one so I resorted to picking the material off by hand, wiping it on the grass and washing it in a bucket of water. One of my most dignified moments.
- There were a couple of minor inconveniences like getting pressured to get contents insurance and the “option” of a resident membership package. The membership package is a £48 monthly fee that you pay for some extremely minor benefits. The biggest benefit is that you don't pay an upfront deposit but you still have all the liabilities and responsibilities if there is an issue at the end of your tenancy. I would have knocked back the place if I wasn't so desperate at the time, and I did ask for Leaders to ask the Landlord if we could go with a standard arrangement, but this was not offered. This is a scheme that Leaders use to squeeze as much money out of the tenant as possible.
- The drainage in the bath/shower was bad and then it became terrible over a relatively short period, despite the use of over-the-counter drain cleaner. Unsurprisingly, Leaders tried to put the responsibility on me. They stated that if blockage was due to a build-up of hair and dirt then I would bare 100% of the cost. After witnessing the state of the washing machine and the fact that I was the only occupier and I am a male with short hair, there was no way in the world that I was going to be blamed for the tonne of debris that would inevitably be down the drain. After citing that this is the landlord's responsibility (and a long delay, but to be fair by this time we were in the middle of the pandemic), they agreed to send a plumber and to pay for him.
- The ventilation in the bathroom was atrocious despite routinely leaving the window open and the fan on for hours after showering. This lead to a rapid build-up of mould on the shower curtain.
- The most egregious event occurred during the pandemic. I was informed that the apartment was going on the market for sale and that there were people who were potentially interested who wanted to view the property. I stated that I was uncomfortable with this and that I did not want people walking around my place and touching my things in the middle of a pandemic. Instead of clarifying the issues or arranging an alternative (for example I was willing to compromise by giving access to a single person for a video tour) Leaders ignored my instructions not to enter my apartment. They entered my apartment without my consent and I found out when I came home and found the door dead-locked (which I never did). So to make matters worse, I was then locked out of my own apartment and had to wait for someone from Leaders to come let me in. They did not apologise and they said that they had a right to enter without my consent. I phoned Leaders and requested to talk to the Manager. I was told they were busy and would call me back. They didn't. It was only another agent who apologised later via email. This was all an incredibly stressful experience and I would not wish it on anybody.
Post-tenancy
- I thought all of this would be over once the tenancy was over and I moved out. I was wrong. Over a period of 4 months I have continued to get emails and on one occasion a phone call informing me that I owe Leaders money. The first couple of emails stated that I owed £1350 and the latest one stated that I owed £1518. I double checked and I definitely paid my last month's rent. The amount that I was told I originally “owed” was £1350, which could not be my rent because I had to pay £1398 each month. On no occasion have Leaders given me an invoice stipulating exactly what it is that I owe them for. Thankfully, it has been a couple of months without hearing anything. Hopefully, this means the end of the nightmare.
My next agent was an absolute dream compared with Leaders. There is no way that I would ever go back.
In summary I would call Leaders incompetent, unprofessional and unethical. If you want to find out for yourself then give them a go.
I was a tenant through Leaders from August 2019 to August 2020 and I had issues at every stage: before my tenancy, during my tenancy and even after my tenancy. Enjoy.
Pre-tenancy:
- I had multiple appointments to view multiple properties to rent in mid-2019. On 2 occasions the lettings agent was late and on one of these occasions she was almost 30 minutes late. She did apologise though so that was something.
- On another occasion the letting agent brought the wrong key to the appointment. She wasted both her time and mine (but once again at least she apologised).
- After these relatively minor hiccups I applied for an apartment and was informed that I was successful. I happily paid a £323 fee and I confirmed it was taken off the market (anyone who has rented in Cambridge probably knows that applying for places is very competitive). Unfortunately, I was informed via email 15 days later that the previous tenant had decided to stay on and that my tenancy was void. This was 8 days before I was due to move in. I received no apology and was made to feel like I was an idiot because I thought that the fee I paid meant that I was guaranteed the apartment. I was left to scramble to find a place to live before I started work the following week. In my desperation, I applied for another place via Leaders because I was now in an enormous rush to find a place to live. This was completely my fault as I ignored all the warning signs and I'm afraid I paid severely for this mistake.
Intra-tenancy:
- One of the first things I noticed was that the letterbox key did not fit the apartment letterbox. It actually fit the letterbox that was next to my letterbox. This was a mild nuisance and rather amusing but did need a locksmith to come fix
- The smoke detector was intermittently beeping (the single very high-pitched beep that signifies that it is low on battery). I would usually just change the battery myself, but I was rather annoyed that I had to do something that should have been done before I was there so I informed Leaders. I thought they would have just sent someone over to replace the battery but instead they installed an entirely new device. It worked but I thought it was a waste of resources.
- The third thing I noticed very soon after moving in was that the washing machine was not draining water after a wash, which meant that my clothes were completely drenched. After a simple investigation I found that the filter was completely clogged with years of decayed and extremely foul-smelling material. The kicker was that when I opened the filter foul-smelling water spilled all over the kitchen floor. There was still the need to clean the filter so I wandered around the complex looking for an outdoor tap to rinse and clean the filter. Unfortunately, I couldn't find one so I resorted to picking the material off by hand, wiping it on the grass and washing it in a bucket of water. One of my most dignified moments.
- There were a couple of minor inconveniences like getting pressured to get contents insurance and the “option” of a resident membership package. The membership package is a £48 monthly fee that you pay for some extremely minor benefits. The biggest benefit is that you don't pay an upfront deposit but you still have all the liabilities and responsibilities if there is an issue at the end of your tenancy. I would have knocked back the place if I wasn't so desperate at the time, and I did ask for Leaders to ask the Landlord if we could go with a standard arrangement, but this was not offered. This is a scheme that Leaders use to squeeze as much money out of the tenant as possible.
- The drainage in the bath/shower was bad and then it became terrible over a relatively short period, despite the use of over-the-counter drain cleaner. Unsurprisingly, Leaders tried to put the responsibility on me. They stated that if blockage was due to a build-up of hair and dirt then I would bare 100% of the cost. After witnessing the state of the washing machine and the fact that I was the only occupier and I am a male with short hair, there was no way in the world that I was going to be blamed for the tonne of debris that would inevitably be down the drain. After citing that this is the landlord's responsibility (and a long delay, but to be fair by this time we were in the middle of the pandemic), they agreed to send a plumber and to pay for him.
- The ventilation in the bathroom was atrocious despite routinely leaving the window open and the fan on for hours after showering. This lead to a rapid build-up of mould on the shower curtain.
- The most egregious event occurred during the pandemic. I was informed that the apartment was going on the market for sale and that there were people who were potentially interested who wanted to view the property. I stated that I was uncomfortable with this and that I did not want people walking around my place and touching my things in the middle of a pandemic. Instead of clarifying the issues or arranging an alternative (for example I was willing to compromise by giving access to a single person for a video tour) Leaders ignored my instructions not to enter my apartment. They entered my apartment without my consent and I found out when I came home and found the door dead-locked (which I never did). So to make matters worse, I was then locked out of my own apartment and had to wait for someone from Leaders to come let me in. They did not apologise and they said that they had a right to enter without my consent. I phoned Leaders and requested to talk to the Manager. I was told they were busy and would call me back. They didn't. It was only another agent who apologised later via email. This was all an incredibly stressful experience and I would not wish it on anybody.
Post-tenancy
- I thought all of this would be over once the tenancy was over and I moved out. I was wrong. Over a period of 4 months I have continued to get emails and on one occasion a phone call informing me that I owe Leaders money. The first couple of emails stated that I owed £1350 and the latest one stated that I owed £1518. I double checked and I definitely paid my last month's rent. The amount that I was told I originally “owed” was £1350, which could not be my rent because I had to pay £1398 each month. On no occasion have Leaders given me an invoice stipulating exactly what it is that I owe them for. Thankfully, it has been a couple of months without hearing anything. Hopefully, this means the end of the nightmare.
My next agent was an absolute dream compared with Leaders. There is no way that I would ever go back.
In summary I would call Leaders incompetent, unprofessional and unethical. If you want to find out for yourself then give them a go.
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Leaders
140 Hills Road
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB2 8PB
01223 500387
Performance statistics
| Services | Valuation Accuracy | Fees Satisfaction | Min Price of property reviewed | Max Price of property reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lettings | 38% | 38% | £400 | £2,350 |
Review statistics
| From Landlords | From Tenants | From Vendors | From Buyers | Other | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 5 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
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Dec 31,2023
Dec 31,2023
2
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The most unprofessional and disappointing agent I've ever dealt with.
When I moved in I saw how dirty and unkempt the room was. The walls were extremely mouldy, and the bed mattress hasn't been cleaned or replaced at all for a long time so it ...
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Nov 30,2023
Nov 30,2023
2
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Believe the 1-star reviews. I would give 0 if I could. From my initial onboarding as a tenant, to the very end, it was like pulling teeth. It's the worst of the worst in terms of professionalism. Expect curt one-liners to BIG issues, passive-aggressiveness, them giving ...
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Sep 20,2023
Sep 20,2023
1
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Utterly incompetent, useless and uninterested in helping. Terrible communication, I spoke to a different person every time I contacted them about the property I wanted to rent, and each time I was brushed aside. I reached out to them about this property over a month ...
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Sep 20,2023
Sep 20,2023
1
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Utterly incompetent, useless and uninterested in helping. Terrible communication, I spoke to a different person every time I contacted them about the property I wanted to rent, and each time I was brushed aside. I reached out to them about this property over a month ...
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Apr 10,2023
Apr 10,2023
1
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Took a holding deposit for a property that was totally unprepared. They booked a viewing without having keys to the property so couldn't view. Tried to force me to pay insurance and first month's rent despite contract not being signed. After we cancelled, few days ...
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Feb 28,2023
Feb 28,2023
0
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Today I received the result of my first tenant inspection which I am very pleased about. I was able to see my house well looked after. I would like to thank Andre Payne who is looking after my property. His work is professional, always very ...
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Feb 17,2023
Feb 17,2023
3
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15 years of renting and owning property in the UK and I have never come across a company as bad as Leaders.
Please note that my issues were not with a single individual or a branch, it has been with the company as a whole in ...
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Jan 20,2023
Jan 20,2023
1
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Deposit scheme is terrible. Property manager is completely unhelpful and bordering on dishonest. Changed gas and electricity meters when I was in the US, ended up with a 300 pound bill just for one months gas even though I wasn't in the country! Claims to not ...
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Jan 03,2023
Jan 03,2023
0
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Thank you team leaders Cambridge for my new home. The team is very efficient,very friendly and instant problem solvers. Thank you kaite for your help and hassle free support....
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Sep 15,2022
Sep 15,2022
3
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If I could, I would give this company NEGATIVE STARS.
DO NOT RENT WITH THIS COMPANY.
This has been by far the worst rental experience Ive ever had, and I've been renting now for over 17 years.
First of all, we are internationals. Before moving in, ...
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Oct 24, 2022
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Follow up:
This has been by far the worst rental experience Ive ever had, and I\'ve been renting now for over 17 years.
First of all, we are internationals. Before moving in, we asked how to get electricity and gas sorted. They advised us that these would be available for 2 weeks when we moved in, and that would give us time to sort out more formal contract. We moved in - of course, no electricity whatsoever.
Moreover, the house was FILLED with garbage when we arrived. Mould in the washin ...
Sep 07,2022
Sep 07,2022
1
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Very poor service provider.... The customer care representative doesn't even have an idea of what apartment they have listed as she kept arguing that the apartment I enquire for does not exist and was never listed for rent..... I called back about 1 minute after and ...
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Aug 08,2022
Aug 08,2022
0
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Best service ever, informative, and instant reply.
Very polite and kind. I highly recommend leaders to anyone moving to this wonderful place....
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Jul 18,2022
Jul 18,2022
1
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Leaders manged my property for over a decade. It use to be good but then I realised every time a called them I had a new property manager who new nothing about me, my property or the tenant.
Then the incompetency and deceit started. I ...
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Jun 25,2022
Jun 25,2022
1
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In 2021 we rented a house from leaders in Cambridge. Almost all the agents were very rude, not at all helpful and have an attitude of ‘ya whatever’.
I agree that Cambridge rental market is a sellers market and renters don have much say or option. ...
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May 24,2022
May 24,2022
0
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Just wanted to share my experience renting with Leaders Cambridge for about an year.
I don't have any complaints during our stay at the property. The check-in experience was not perfect, but I wouldn't go out of my way to talk about it.
It was ...
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May 18,2022
May 18,2022
1
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They forced me to rent a house with the no deposit option, and during the process they forced me to provide all of my credit card details including security code which they store in their own system. My card has been stolen, not physically but ...
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Apr 11,2022
Apr 11,2022
4
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PLEASE never let with Leaders (see photos).
1.) Our property was not cleaned when we moved Sep 2021. There was:
- A DEAD RAT amongst piles of trash and old tenants items
- A 3 month old full carton on milk inside flooded and rotten fridge.
- Pots ...
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Dec 02,2021
Dec 02,2021
2
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Terrible service. Slow replies and time wasters. Why take on a property and then have no keys to view the place. Say that pets considered, take my personal details and then Reject the application because you own a pet?...
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Nov 12,2021
Nov 12,2021
0
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It was a difficult process getting into our home but Katie was very helpful throughout and brought us through all the paperwork. She was very friendly and kept us progressing all the time....
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Sep 26,2021
Sep 26,2021
3
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I got a call last Wednesday to schedule a viewing for à flat in cambridge. The agent did request for us to com in on Friday but due to work obligations we could not made it therefore the agent agreed to do the viewing on Saturday.
...
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Jun 12,2021
Jun 12,2021
7
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Awful! They are borderline criminal and out to exploit people. We tried to view a property and they were basically unreachable by telephone or email. They promised us a video viewing of a property but never sent it, then coerced us into paying a holding ...
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Feb 21,2021
Feb 21,2021
0
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Leaders have successfully found tenants, most recently Katie and Matt have secured a new tenancy. Katie has kept me informed and updated during the whole process and gone out of her way to manage the negotiation with photographs and suggestions....
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Feb 20,2021
Feb 20,2021
0
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We have always found Katie to be cheery and helpful.
She always keeps us up to date with what is happening....
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Feb 19,2021
Feb 19,2021
1
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It was my first time using a letting agency and I got a little overwhelmed but the service I received was amazing and helped make the process run a lot smoother, in particular Leah, she was extremely patient with me and went above and beyond ...
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Feb 17,2021
Feb 17,2021
3
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It took Leaders over 6months to fix the floor in the house. Wrote 20+ emails to report the issues every time insisting that this need to be fixed ASAP. The same with the whole in the bathroom. Very disappointed by Hannah and the manager, forgot her ...
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Feb 16,2021
Feb 16,2021
0
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Jade has been managing my properties for several months. There were many problems over this time that required attention and Jade has always been efficient and communicated well during this time. I know if I require any thing Jade will always respond and seek out ...
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Feb 15,2021
Feb 15,2021
2
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Terrible service from Lukasz the alleged 'property manager' - unresponsive, and dismissive. We have had no hot water or heating for 3 days and this will not be fixed for a further 3. He only responded to my phone calls and emails about this after I called ...
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Dec 18,2020
Dec 18,2020
1
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If you have had Leaders as a letting agent, it may sound familiar to you sentences such as "this is a new property for management", "I wasn't aware of the issue"...either this is what they do to gain time or there is a huge ...
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Oct 07,2020
Oct 07,2020
0
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I am very grateful for the Leaders Cambridge for their friendly and professional reviewing of my property: very fast and responsive to my need! It was a pleasure to deal with Dominic, thank you so much!...
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Aug 10,2020
Aug 10,2020
2
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would give less if i could. such a shame for such a nice property to be managed so poorly. property was no where near sorted when i moved in and they have been so incredibly slow at getting things sorted since....
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Aug 21, 2020
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Leaders have since resolved the outstanding maintenance issues, a month after the start of the tenancy. ...
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