Appalling Service

I have rented my flat for three and a half years with Foxtons as property manager. They were fine for the first 2 1/2 years, or so I thought. I was overseas and believed my property manager when he told me all was well. It became apparent when I returned that their service is somewhat lacking.

Has anyone else noticed that the property inspection reports contain the same text year on year with updated photos? Tenants come and go and it is only 3 tenants down that you become aware of missing and broken furniture which you cannot claim for because the item went missing 3 tenants ago.  How about tenants moving out and being given the all clear in the check out report, or being assured that the flat has been professionally cleaned after a tenancy, and the check in noting the state of the flat greasy, dusty and dirty? Really irritating when you have agreed to release the deposit on their word.  Tenants not signing the paperwork before moving in and me being told "its fine"? Tenants moving out and finding replacements that are not signed up to a contract and Foxtons seeming to know all about it? Telling you they have carried out works on the property when they haven't? "Misplacing" a string of letters from the landlord notifying of £7000 of works for which I am liable and finding out about it 18 months later?

Their staff are cocky and are more interested in the sell than providing good quality service. Attention to detail doesn't factor. My property manager tells me he is going to do something and doesn't. I can call every day for a month and the job still doesn't get done. It is not property management when you have to phone and nag day in and out.  I would hate to be a tenant in a Foxtons managed property, but being a landlord isn't a barrel of laughs either - and they are getting an 17% cut of your rent. At the end of the day they are not providing service to me as a landlord and it sounds like they are fobbing off the tenants.

Don't fall for the young, spunky sales guys, the cute little minis, the swanky shop fronts and the promise to get more money for your flat than the place down the road. It is really not worth the hassle. They are appalling.