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if i could rate 0 stars i would. communication is non existent until you have to go into the branch and speak to somebody in person. they have no problem reaching out when they want money though. staff are passive aggressive, condescending, and speak down on you just because you are a student. the whole "joint tenancy" contract is a complete exploitation of students and the agency refuses to help when there are any issues regarding lousy tenants, their morals and ethics are nowhere to be seen. there were several occasions where staff and handymen turned up to the property with no notice at all. this letting agency is nothing but money hungry. at the end of my tenancy i am being charged for £50 to remove a bag of rubbish, £50 to slide the tv back into its bracket on the wall, £55 to replace "mattress protectors" on the beds which were never even there in the first place when i moved in, £275 for a "deep carpet refresh" even though when i moved in the carpets were completely soiled and ridden with stains; they obviously charged the previous tenants the same carpet refresh, just to not even do it. when you eventually do get an answer from somebody at the agency, you will be told one thing only to be told another thing by somebody else when you contact again. not only is there no communication between yourself and the agency, there is no communication amongst them either. this letting agency is exploitative, money hungry, careless, and contradictory. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!
EDIT:
I have had the displeasure of renting with John Shepherd for the second year running, what a huge mistake. I don't know why I chose to rent with them again in the first place.
Nothing has changed, communication is non existent unless the agency want to contact you regarding money. When you call you are told to put it in writing on an email only for it to never get addressed.
When we first moved into this property, we didn't have working water for a whole week, meaning we weren't able to shower properly and having to literally fill up bowls and tip it over ourselves like we were living in poverty. We were told we would receive compensation for this, 8 months later and we've still received nothing despite contacting on several occasions.
Before we moved into the property we asked for the garden to be cleared and surprisingly it was, however the 10 black bags of rubbish from this have been left in our garden for the duration of our tenancy again despite contacting on several occasions.
We have had MULTIPLE contractors turn up at the property without a 24 hour warning, which is illegal by the way.
I just know at the end of the tenancy they will also deduct extortionate amounts from the deposit with no good reason, the same way they did in my last tenancy.
The way they treat tenants is honestly disgusting and their attentiveness to correct issues and upstand the law is non existent.
If I could urge you to do one thing it's to stay away from this letting agency. I'm convinced all the good reviews are from either people they've paid or people working in the agency under a fake name.... Read more
15th Apr 2026 (12 days ago)