12th Apr 2026 (18 days ago)
Holly and Alexia in the lettings team were efficient and welcoming. The process of securing my property was smooth and the welcome gift on key collection was a thoughtful touch. Holly reached out within days of my move-in to request a Google review, which I appreciated, though at that point, the issues below were only just beginning to emerge.
Since moving in, I have encountered several problems that should have been identified and resolved before the property was let:
Fire safety
The smoke detectors were non-functional at move-in, despite being flagged on the pre-tenancy inventory. This was not a minor oversight. The building is currently undergoing remedial works to remove Grenfell-type cladding, with scaffolding in place across the exterior; a context in which functioning smoke detection is not optional. The detectors themselves carried labels stating "Replace by June 2024", meaning they were already ten months overdue for replacement at the point I moved in. I raised this as an urgent safety concern in writing and via the online portal, requesting a clear timescale for resolution. Replacement detectors were only installed a week after I moved in.
Appliances and fixtures
The washing machine is 14 years old with a 5kg drum, a compact capacity now considered suitable only for very light use and was found to have significant black residue in the rubber seals and a noticeable odour. After running two full professional cleaning cycles, the machine remained unhygienic, and I had to arrange for my laundry to be washed elsewhere for two weeks. The landlord's position, conveyed by the property manager, was that there is "no mechanical fault" and replacement is at their discretion, despite the clear hygiene issue and the age of the appliance.
The property was advertised as unfurnished and Holly confirmed this at the viewing, so I expected the curtains and lampshades to have been removed prior to my arrival. Instead, I found old lampshades with dirty, dusty exteriors and yellowed white interiors, and curtains with a yellowing, perishing rubber blackout backing deteriorated through age and sun exposure. When I requested permission to dispose of these, I was told they must be retained for when I vacate, despite the property having been let to me as unfurnished and my having no space to store them.
The extraction fans in both bathrooms, which have no windows, are non-functional, creating an obvious damp and ventilation risk. The four panel bath shower screen seals detach when the screen is opened and are difficult to refit. Non-functioning under-cupboard lights were also reported and now fixed.
Communication
The maintenance contact, Jeri Davison, was unreachable by phone due to an ongoing system migration. The number listed on her email signature and out-of-office was not connecting. On 20 March I was told this was "currently looking to be resolved." As of 12 April, over three weeks later, the number still does not connect. Email responses took several days. A callback I requested on 30 March has still not happened. There are further issues with the property that I now feel reluctant to report, given the difficulty of getting any response.
When I raised these matters with the lettings team, I was redirected to maintenance. I included the lettings team in all correspondence because these are conditions that should have been addressed before letting. Passing a new tenant to an unreachable team is not a resolution.
For context: I am repainting the flat at my own time and expense because I intend to make this my home for the long term and maintain it to a high standard. I expect the same standard in return.
I hope management reviews the property condition checks and communication processes, as the initial experience from the lettings side genuinely suggested a higher standard of service.... Read more