April Properties

Dear Nang, We’re sorry that you were unhappy with your experience, though we are confident that we acted fairly, transparently, and fully in accordance with your tenancy agreement. To clarify, the property featured built-in ceiling heating, and your fire alarm stopped working because the batteries were not replaced during your tenancy — this is a tenant’s responsibility as outlined in your contract and you did not make our team aware of this either. The fire you referred to did not occur within your flat; it began in a ground-floor entrance cupboard several floors below. The building management team responded immediately, and our team also assisted you that evening — outside of working hours — to ensure your safety and comfort. No damage occurred to your flat or any other within the building or the communal space. Following this, you expressed a wish to vacate early, and we reached a mutual agreement to facilitate this with minimal charges on your end. You paid £786 in total to end your tenancy early — despite signing a two-year fixed-term agreement. Of this, only £150 went toward cleaning, which did not even cover the £285 professional cleaning invoice we paid. The property was left in an exceptionally poor condition — in fact, no previous tenant has ever left the flat in such a state. The kitchen required over seven hours of deep cleaning due to heavy grease and odours, and most of the kitchen items — including utensils, pots, pans, plates, and cookware — had to be discarded as they were unusable. The microwave door was broken, and furniture and personal belongings were left behind despite prior reminders. A £50 removal charge was applied to cover the cost of disposal, but this was never paid. Legally, we were under no obligation to release you from the tenancy early. You could have been held liable for rent until new tenants were found, or even for the entire remaining fixed term. Nonetheless, we acted with considerable leniency and agreed to an early surrender on very favourable terms, to assist you, with the landlord losing two months rent, as when we conducted viewings the main feedback from prospective tenants was the poor cleanliness and condition of the property on the viewings. As this was your first time renting in the UK, we went above and beyond to ensure you felt comfortable and supported. We provided move-out guides, detailed checklists, and hands-on advice on maintaining the property. Our team even personally helped with mould removal at the property as you were not opening the windows to ventilate the property, offered cleaning tips, and arranged the collection of your Wi-Fi router from our office after your departure. All proposed deductions were clearly itemised, evidenced with photographs and invoices, and shared with you prior to being submitted to the TDS for independent adjudication. Every charge was minimal and below market rate, as we sought to resolve the situation fairly and avoid unnecessary escalation. We take pride in managing all our properties with professionalism, fairness, and respect. While we understand that renting in a new country can come with challenges, tenancies rely on mutual responsibility. The evidence clearly shows that we acted properly, reasonably, and with exceptional patience and understanding throughout your tenancy. We wish you all the best for the future. Kind regards, Ezgi