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Bournemouth, BH1

2.8/5, 16 Reviews
44% Recommended

100% sales valuation accuracy

100% letting valuation accuracy

100% sales fee satisfaction

45% letting fee satisfaction

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Thinking of buying, selling, or renting a property in Bournemouth? We specialise in properties for sale and properties for rent in Bournemouth, Winton, and the surrounding areas. We can also offer a wide range of property services, including property management, property surveys, and financial services. House a
nd Son is one of the oldest multi-property agencies in Bournemouth and was established by Donald House in the present premises in 1939 just before the outbreak of World War II, playing an important role during that period and afterwards in the redevelopment of parts of Bournemouth.
"DO NOT RENT FROM HOUSE AND..."

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1 Star Review

By : 'Much'
Services :
Rent PCM : £665
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : BH1

4 Sept 2018
People found this helpful4

Me and my partner rented a 2 bedroom property for 4 years with House and Son and had nothing but problems throughout the tenancy. From staff insulting us by calling us messy and dirty tenants to House and Son leaving us in unabitable conditions twice and them trying to charge us extortionate amounts for cleaning at the end of the tenancy. I urge anyone who is wanting to rent in Bournemouth to completely avoid this joke of a letting agents. The property we moved into was a mess upon arrival, dead flies covering the bathroom ceiling, mould around windows, damp all over the property, kitchen covered in grease, stained carpets, broken and heavily worn furniture, dangerous light fittings and many more issues which we repeatedly reported to House and Son via email, phone calls and during the quarterly surveyor visits, all of which were not mentioned on the inventory. After moving in, we sent in our updated version of the inventory stating all the issues, signed and dated by both myself and my partner which it was later revealed that House and Son had lost this copy. We paid out of our pockets to redecorate the property so it was a half decent standard to live in and we also replaced or repaired many of the broken and worn items. Despite informing House and Son each time we replaced or repaired something, they still tried to claim that these items were "missing" or damaged during the check out. After several attempts to get something sorted about the mould, damp and carpets, House and Son decided that me and my partner were responsible for this as we were not allowing for sufficient ventilation throughout the property (which was impossible when the place had 3 single windows and a broken extractor fan in the bathroom for 2 years). Within the first few months of the tenancy the boiler broke, which meant we were left with no heating, hot water, shower, washing machine. As this happened in December, we informed House and Son immediately who told us someone would be out to fix it ASAP. We ended up being left a whole week without hot water or heating in the middle of winter due to lack of communication from House and Son. Towards the end of the tenancy the kitchen sink started backing up with sewage from the washing machine and had a huge blockage so it wouldn't drain. Again, this was reported immediately. The entire property began to stink and due to the sewage just sitting in the sink and having no where to wash our dishes. Despite us calling almost everyday to get this resolved, House and Son left us almost 3 weeks with this issue. When someone eventually came to fix it, they apparently told House and Son that the property was a mess and that me and my partner were likely the reason for the blockage. After expressing to House and Son that they had left us with no sink and washing machine for 3 weeks so there is bound to be a fair amount of mess, they started to blame us for everything else wrong with property to the point a staff member outrightly called us dirty tenants which was apparently backed up with the quarterly reports (which was false information as they were sent to us after this and no bad reports were ever made). After the incident with the sink, we requested a staff member visit the property and see all the damaged themselves. Ryan Poole visited and agreed that the property was clean, aired out (to the best of our abilities) and tidy, yet we still never received an apology for being insulted by staff members. At the end of the tenancy, Claire Leach agreed that after everything, we would not be charged for the damp and mould, stained and damaged carpets and worn furniture but would need to pay an extortionate amount for cleaning. We waited 12 days for our deposit to be returned (the maximum is 10) and this was returned to the wrong bank account. The property was much cleaner at the end of the tenancy compared to the start but due to House and Son losing our comments on the inventory after move in, there was no way to prove it. We ended up taking her amount to dispute in which they reduced the amount Claire was asking for by over half. I moved out of the property 3 months ago and I have suddenly started receiving bills for it dated after I moved out. House and Son are now trying to get me to pay the bills for the property after I moved out, so I am still having problems with them even 3 months after leaving the property. Please do not use House and Son unless you want to have constant problems in your home and want to pay expensive fees and be charged for damages and cleaning which were issues upon starting the tenancy. If you are already with House and Son then take pictures of everything and always get signed copies of anything you give to them as you will be needing it when they try and scam you at the end of the tenancy.


Comments on Agent Fees

Expensive and not worth it. Check out fees were charged despite no check in.

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By : Ryan Poole

4 Sept 2018

Good afternoon, Thank you for your detailed comments regarding your tenancy with House and Son. I have looked through your comments and know the case well, having visited you to inspect the property. The first point to deal with would be the fact that you say there wasn't a check in conducted but then you also say " After moving in, we sent in our updated version of the inventory stating all the issues, signed and dated by both myself and my partner which it was later revealed that House and Son had lost this copy." This is the check in, so for you to say one wasn't carried out is factually incorrect, which I am sure you will agree. The check out fee is clear on the initial information you read and signed when you moved in, so we cannot do anymore than that I'm afraid. The blockage in the sink was caused by putting fat and food items down the sink and over a period of 4 years the fat had solidified and formed a big ball of fat, which was the obvious cause of the blockage, however we stepped in and agreed to pay for the removal of the blockage. I am not aware of anyone calling you dirty tenants, however they did mention that the apartment smelt of rats/pet odour, which you were keeping in the apartment (with permission) You actually agreed that the apartment smelt of this via email. I visited the apartment and agreed that you had been looking after the apartment and you had redecorated, which I thanked you for. There was also damage to many of the walls, which was a block issue, as there had been several leaks due to a faulty roof. This was reported to the managing agent on numerous occasions but they didn't do anything about it, which is neither our fault or your fault. The carpets did need replacing and the apartment needed redecorating, which is why you were not charged for any of these items. The check out process is one that many tenants do not seem to understand. The check out is carried out by an independent clerk who compiles a report and submits this report to us. We then send it to you for your comments, which is what happened in this case and we will then look at the inventory from when you moved in and decide what areas that are your responsibility. In this case I believe it was just the clean, which was £120.00. This was then sent to dispute and the TDS awarded accordingly. The original inventory you claim was 'lost' was not lost and the TDS make reference to it in their report deciding the final amounts to be awarded to both tenant and Landlord. I will quote the TDS to clarify this position: "In July 2014 the property was professionally cleaned for the start of tenancy. The tenants therefore had an obligation to instruct professional cleaning at the end of their tenancy. The check in report notes the property was generally clean and tidy, although the report contains numerous tenants amendments, most referencing the need for further cleaning. (THE REPORT YOU SAY WE LOST- CLEARLY INCORRECT) Comparing these against the check-out report report findings confirms further cleaning was required, over and above that noted at check-in, especially in the kitchen and bathroom" Please remember that this is a report provided by the TDS and is entirely independent. They decided that you should pay £50.00 in total. You also disputed the check out fee, which was subsequently awarded to us, obvious really, seeing that you had signed paperwork agreeing to pay this charge at the outset of your tenancy. The TDS issues "guidelines" that the deposit is to be returned within 10 days of the final amounts being agreed. In 99 % of the cases we are well within this time frame but as they are only 'guidelines' there is no penalty for not keeping within the 10 days, however I do apologise for the slight delay. In regards to the bills you are receiving, you would only be receiving bills for any unpaid amounts due, as the companies are supplied with final meter reads and your forwarding address for this purpose. The bills are your responsibility, so I would suggest you phone them and sort it out, as per your tenancy agreement and stop blaming your letting agent for something we have no responsibility for. I think it is quite clear that there are several inaccuracies in your review and these have been quite clearly highlighted in my comments above. It always amazes me that tenants are able to provide such one sided, factually incorrect reviews and potentially damage a business' reputation. I am sorry if you feel we did not meet your expectations on this occasion but I feel I have given a more 'accurate' side of the story, so people can understand that there are two sides to every story. Tenants are bound to be upset at the end of a tenancy if there is money being possibly deducted from their deposit but it doesn't give them the right to post inaccurate reviews and 'invent' elements of the process that didn't happen. I am more than happy to discuss this in more detail if you would like to contact the branch directly. Perhaps the agencies should start a website reviewing tenants.... probably wouldn't be allowed but would sure be interesting... it also amazes me that tenants move out of somewhere, leave it in a poor state and expect to receive all of their deposit back..... Thank you for your review. We are, as every agent is, the middle man during a tenancy and are always reliant on a Landlords instructions. There were occasions in this particular tenancy when we asked for items to be sorted and the Landlord refused to have them done, which can obviously reflect on us poorly.


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Latest Reviews
Performance Statistics
ServicesValuationFeesMin Price of property reviewedMax Price of property reviewed
Sales100.00%100%£95,000£240,000
Lettings100%45%£625£1,000
Areas covered
  • BH1
  • BH10
  • BH11
  • BH2
  • BH3
  • BH4
  • BH5
  • BH6
  • BH7
  • BH8
  • BH9
  • Bournemouth
  • Winton
Address

House & Son
Landsdowne House, Christchurch RoadBournemouth, Dorset
BH1 3JW
01202 242000

Services offered
  • Sales
  • Lettings
  • Block Management
  • Surveys
  • Conveyancing
  • Mortgage Advice
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House & Son Branches (View All 2)
Avoid this company if ...

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1 Star Review
UserName

By : 'jack'
Services : Letting( As a Tenant )
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : BH1

10 Nov 2022
People found this helpful1

Please be very careful when you let with this company! Take loads of pictures and videos when you first move in, even for the smallest of stains, scuff marks etc. You will need them! Me and my partner left the flat we rented for 15 months in a better condition than when we moved in. Back in... Read Full Review

Comments (0)Was this helpful?:
DO NOT PAY A HOLDING DEPOSIT ...

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1 Star Review

By : 'Sue'
Services : Letting( As a Tenant )
Rent PCM : £1000
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : BH5

4 Nov 2020
People found this helpful3

Rented a property through H and S and although I have no problem with the actual process, all went smoothly, Ryan Poole asked for a £200 holding deposit which he advised would be deducted off when we paid all of the costs in renting the flat. When it came to paying the deposit etc. the £200 had... Read Full Review

Comments (1)Was this helpful?:

By : Mike hunt

18 Dec 2020

Ryan poole doesn't work there.. hasn't for 2 years you stupid...

I would rate this company ...

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1 Star Review

By : 'Caroline'
Services : Letting( Property Management )
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : BH2

30 Oct 2020
People found this helpful3

I would rate this company zero if that was an option (one star is far too generous!). Over the past 12 year as I have bought two flats in separate blocks which were coincidentally already Managed by House & Son. I have experienced the worst customer service, the slowest responses to all... Read Full Review

Comments (1)Was this helpful?:

By : Carol Hayes

29 Jul 2024

Yes I completely agree.. am currently in the middle of a dire mess with Glenda Jackson who is meant to be a SENIOR property manager but has made a catalogue of errors over our roof repairs and...

If I could give this company ...

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1 Star Review

By : 'John'
Services : Letting( Property Management )
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : BH2

4 Aug 2020
People found this helpful3

If I could give this company a zero I would. The worst block management company ever. Little or no communication. Aggressive attitude towards board members. They have no heart or soul in their work. Unprofessional, untrustworthy, unaccountable and 100% unreliable. DO NOT USE for block management.... Read Full Review

Comments (0)Was this helpful?:
Sold my flat through House ...

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5 Star Review

By : 'Lauren'
Services : Sales( As a Vendor )
Sold price : £95000
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : BH1

11 Feb 2020
People found this helpful0

Sold my flat through House and Son as they let the property for me aswell over a period of years. Excellent service throughout, very efficient, they go above and beyond to sort any problem out. In particular the sale of the flat. It was a very lengthy sale, held up with documents of one sort and... Read Full Review

Comments (0)Was this helpful?:
Our experiences with House ...

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5 Star Review

By : 'Kirk'
Services : Property Management
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : BH1

3 Sept 2019
People found this helpful1

Our experiences with House & Son have been consistently positive over the past six years, both when we have rented our our flat to others and when we have lived in the flat ourselves. We are also impressed with the overall management of the... Read Full Review

Comments (0)Was this helpful?:
If I could give this company ...

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1 Star Review

By : 'Alex'
Services : Letting( As a Prospective Landlord/Tenant )
Rent PCM : £800
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : BH8

7 Aug 2019
People found this helpful4

If I could give this company 0 stars I would. Absolutely diabolical experience when viewing a property and throughout booking journey. Two of the RUDEST women I have EVER spoken to, I still can't quite get over their lack of customer service. I registered my details with a girl over the... Read Full Review

Comments (0)Was this helpful?:
Fabulous ...

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5 Star Review
UserName

By : 'Alli'
Services : Letting( As a Tenant )
Rent PCM : £795
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : BH5

31 Oct 2018
People found this helpful1

Ryan Poole was excellent throughout our whole experience. He was professional at all times as well as kind & supportive. Superb customer service. Thank you... Read Full Review


Comments on Agent Fees

Good

Comments (3)Was this helpful?:

By : Paul M

5 Jan 2019

Haha, anything fake review there...

DO NOT RENT FROM HOUSE AND ...

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1 Star Review

By : 'Much'
Services : Letting( As a Tenant )
Rent PCM : £665
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : BH1

4 Sept 2018
People found this helpful4

Me and my partner rented a 2 bedroom property for 4 years with House and Son and had nothing but problems throughout the tenancy. From staff insulting us by calling us messy and dirty tenants to House and Son leaving us in unabitable conditions twice and them trying to charge us extortionate... Read Full Review


Comments on Agent Fees

Expensive and not worth it. Check out fees were charged despite no check in.

Comments (1)Was this helpful?:

By : Ryan Poole

4 Sept 2018

Good afternoon, Thank you for your detailed comments regarding your tenancy with House and Son. I have looked through your comments and know the case well, having visited you to inspect the property. ...

Cheats ...

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1 Star Review

By : 'Alan'
Services : Letting( As a Tenant )
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : BH1

15 Apr 2018
People found this helpful4

Wow. What a terrible experience we had with this company when checking out! We lived in the apartment for almost 4 years. We repeatedly complained about damp and mould issues in the flat. Instead of doing anything about it, they sent a regular instructor who blamed us for the dampness, saying... Read Full Review


Comments on Agent Fees

Expensive

Comments (0)Was this helpful?:
A Breath of Fresh ...

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5 Star Review

By : 'Camilla'
Services : Sales( As a Vendor )
Sold price : £240000
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : BH1£

4 Apr 2018
People found this helpful0

Dealing with House and Son after dealing with larger national estate agent chains was like a breath of fresh air. I had been trying to sell a property in the Eastcliff, Bournemouth with minimal success. Having changed decor/ price the only thing left to do was to change the Estate Agent. I did this ... Read Full Review


Comments on Agent Fees

Competitive

Comments (0)Was this helpful?:
I have been both a tenant and ...

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5 Star Review

By : 'Susan'
Services : Letting( As a Owner )
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : BH1

1 Nov 2017
People found this helpful0

I have been both a tenant and landlord during my 13 year association with House and Son and have ALWAYS found the staff to be honest, professional, reliable, helpful, fair and courteous and I would have no hesitation in recommending this... Read Full Review

Comments (0)Was this helpful?:
Do not use this agency! I ...

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1 Star Review
UserName

By : 'Connor'
Services : Letting( As a Tenant )
Rent PCM : £725
Would you recommend ? : No
Postcode : BH2

12 May 2017
People found this helpful4

Do not use this agency! I have had so many problems since renting a flat through this company, every time I have rang up I get the response of we will call you straight back never to hear off them again. When I first moved in I was promised a mirror to be fitted onto the bathroom wall instead I... Read Full Review


Comments on Agent Fees

Charged me for check in and out fees one of which was �90 which was not carried out properly as they said something was missing which was in one of the cupboards and considering there was only about 10 in the whole property being a small one bedroom flat I find it very appalling.

Comments (1)Was this helpful?:

By : Ryan poole

20 May 2017

Hi Connor, thank you for your review. You were given the email address of the lettings manager, myself and I responded to you via email and agreed to waive the cleaning costs for you as a gesture of ...

We came for a short term 1 ...

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5 Star Review

By : 'Karthik'
Services : Letting( As a Tenant )
Rent PCM : £625
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : BH1

10 Nov 2015
People found this helpful2

We came for a short term 1 year assignment to bournemouth from India, We were badly looking for the house on the first week of arrival itself. House and Sons staff shown us 3 houses on the same day and helped us to find a good house in the main location.They also helped us to move to the house... Read Full Review

Comments (0)Was this helpful?:
This is very first time, I am ...

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5 Star Review

By : 'Vijaya'
Services : Letting( As a Tenant )
Rent PCM : £775
Would you recommend ? : Yes
Postcode : BH1

6 Nov 2015
People found this helpful1

This is very first time, I am writing review about any service. I am writing this review because I am very much pleased with the service provided by house and sons. When we had our new baby on August, our landlord decided to sell this propery where we are staying now. We are very much worried... Read Full Review

Comments (0)Was this helpful?:
I recently moved my flat, ...

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1 Star Review

By : 'kesavancb'
Services : Letting( As a Tenant )
Would you recommend ? : No

17 Mar 2015
People found this helpful7

I recently moved my flat, both my old flat and the new flats are letted by House and Sons. In the new flat, cleaning was not done properly. Every where it was very dirty and the carpets were also very dirty. Also lot of stuffs were not in good condition including the cracked window which is... Read Full Review

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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.

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Last updated at 3/6/2014, 5:13:33 AM by allAgents

Awards won by House & Son, Bournemouth BH1 3JW