Acorn Properties are the most unprofessional company I have ever had to deal with. Initially numerous things in our contract were incorrect, when we renewed the contract with them they simply crossed items out in pen instead of re-writing. The cost of renewing the contract was upwards of £600, for them to scribble things out in biro.
The staff were extremely rude and abhorrent. Initially on viewing properties we were treated with disrespect as the estate agent unlocked a house and then returned to sit in his car not showing us round, and he told us 'it doesn't matter if you like it, someone else will buy it and I will still get paid.'
We contacted them with several issues regarding the house (damp, no hot water, alarm systems... etc) when we couldn't get the landlord to deal with it and they were extremely unhelpful and simply told us to keep trying the landlord. Another occasion I asked them to print out the contract twice, so I could have a copy and my guarantor, they refused and only with pressure would they actually give me a copy. When we questioned them about certain clauses, they appeared clueless and it turns out we knew more about their market than they did. As examples; They attempted to force us into extortionate rent changes before they knew the figures of inflation that they could put the rent up by as written in the contract and they informed us that we had to sign a new fixed term contract, despite it saying in the contract that we could let it run on a monthly basis and when we brought this up, they threatened us that they would cancel our contract, despite them not actually being the Landlord. They informed us at 1 minute to closing time by text that we had a viewing for the property the next morning, despite us not knowing that it was even on the market as we had told them we were staying.
As students we feel that this company is attempting to prey on the people who have never rented. They charge obscene amounts, much more than the competition for admin fees and yet as aforementioned we found their administration skills to be lacking.
Please heed my warning. ... Read more
2240 days ago