AVOID THIS COMPANY, YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE SOON
My sincere advice for someone in the marketing looking for renting: AVOID THIS COMPANY, YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE SOON. I will explain my experience with Martin & Co in more detail below, but for those who may not wish to read the full account: please avoid them. You will only see the friendly smiles and polite faces when you are signing the contract – or, at best, during a renewal. After that, everything changes. Towards the end of my tenancy, I began to notice a few concerning things. Martin & Co arranged viewings for new tenants while I was still living in the flat. I was present during them, trying to be polite and helpful. Unfortunately, the agent from Martin & Co was less than honest. He provided misleading – and in some cases blatantly false – information to the prospective tenants. Not once, not twice, but on multiple occasions. I genuinely tried to believe he might have been having a bad day or was perhaps unprepared. But it quickly became clear that this was not an isolated incident. It appeared that honesty was being sacrificed for the sake of a quick deal. When I returned my keys, I visited the Martin & Co office and brought with me a few letters addressed to the next tenants or to the agency – routine letters regarding TV licensing, utilities, and so forth. They were clearly not for me, but for the new occupant. I handed them over politely, only to be met with a rather sharp and dismissive response: “What are these? I do not need these letters – throw them in the bin.” All the courtesy and professionalism had vanished. As soon as they cannot profit from you, their true colours begin to show. I then asked – again, very politely – about the return of my deposit. I was told, in an annoyed tone, that it was a matter for the landlord and that tenants like me always “bother them” after leaving asking for a date of deposit release. However, since I had paid the deposit to Martin & Co (before signing the contract), it was entirely reasonable to ask about the process and expected timelines from them. Instead of being helpful, the agent made me feel like I was being a nuisance. I was too tired to argue, so I simply left and contacted my former landlord directly. Despite multiple attempts to reach both the landlord and Martin & Co, over thirty days passed with no communication, no check-out report, and no proposed deductions. Only after I sent a message giving 48 hours' notice to resolve the issue did I finally receive a report – more than a month after moving out. It listed several deductions which I strongly disagreed with. As most tenants know, the law in England states that if there is no dispute, your deposit should be returned within two weeks. At that point, there had been no discussion, no report, and no proposed deductions – just silence. The so-called inventory and check-out report were highly questionable. After reading reviews from others, one thing is absolutely clear: document everything. Take photos. Get all communication in writing. Because, unfortunately, they do not tell the truth, and they will try to rip you off. My experience with them is still ongoing, as I have now escalated the matter to a formal dispute. But regardless of the outcome, I want to share my honest opinion: this was an exhausting, disappointing, and frankly unacceptable experience. I hope it helps someone else avoid the same.
By Willames M.