21st Feb 2024 (5 weeks ago)
This review is a bit long winded but, I would advise anyone wishing to do any business with Reed Residential to fully read it.
My stepdaughter rented a house in Southend on Sea managed by Reed Residential. In December last year they gave her 1 months notice that her rent was going to increase by over 20%. She could not afford such a large increase as she is a single mother with 2 toddlers.
She gave Reed 1 months notice on the 8th January and it was arranged to hand the keys back on the 8th February.
On the 8th February she went to Reed's office in Westcliff on Sea to hand the keys back. After handing over the keys my stepdaughter asked how to pay the 2 weeks rent that was outstanding. She was rudely informed by the property manager that she would have to pay rent until the end of the month. My stepdaughter was shocked by this but felt intimidated by the property managers abrupt and nasty attitude. She then walked out of Reed's branch and told her mother what had happened. After getting some legal advice her mother phoned me to tell me what Reed were demanding. I instructed my wife and stepdaughter to go back into the branch and get the keys back. If they were charging rent until the end of the month then they were not entitled to have the keys back until the end of the month.
My wife went back into the branch with my step-daughter whilst I was on the phone with her to confront the property manager about having to pay until the end of the month.
My wife told Reed that they were not entitled to charge rent after the 8th February and that my step-daughter would not be paying it. She was then told that they would take it out of the security deposit if it wasn't paid.
After a bit more discussion I told them to leave with the keys, which they did.
On 13th February my stepdaughter received an email from the Reed property manager stating that because she didn't hand the keys back on the 8th February as originally planned, she would be charged rent on a daily basis until they were returned, and that she would lose any potential rent refund if they were kept until the end of the month.
This email obviously caused some concern because it completely contradicted her statements in the branch. It was clearly a CYA email to cover her mistake.
My step-daughter sent a response clearly telling the property manager that she knew damn well the keys were handed back on 8th February and we only requested them back because they were not entitled to have them if rent was payable until the end of the month.
No response or denial was received from the property manager.
My stepdaughter along with my help then started a formal complaint process.
At the end of a lot of back and forth emails Reed are completely denying saying anything about having to pay rent until the end of the month. They have no explanation why we requested the keys back.
They seem to think that it's believable that a single mother with 2 small children would choose to continue to pay rent on an already vacated property just for the fun of it. They have denied everything.
Reed are willing to take over £500 in rent from my stepdaughter, that she didn't need to pay.
Whilst renting the property my stepdaughter had many issues with the house. There was an issue with rodents which she was absolutely petrified of. The shed in the back garden was falling to pieces and had become dangerous, preventing her from letting the children into the back garden to play. A brick wall had collapsed into the alley behind the shed. All of these issues were reported to Reed on multiple occasions by my stepdaughter and my wife.
Not a single thing was ever done about anything in the 4 years she lived there.
The neighbours told me that the property used to be run as a brothel. The neighbours complained to Reed many times but nothing was ever done.
Obviously this matter is going to be taken further and might end up the civil court.
Reed Residential are probably one of the worst, morally bankrupt, unscrupulous company's you could ever deal with. Do yourselves a favour a steer well clear.... Read more