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“Do everything in writing! Dishonest and unreliable ”

written by PutItInWriting on 17/02/2017

Forced to deal with Reeds Rains property management services when previous estate agency sold lettings to Reeds Rains. They send contractors for quotes, and never chase the contractor for quotes. They actually told me, the tenant, that I must find the contact details for party wall leaseholder when their contractor insisted upon seeing other side of affected wall. Then, their contractor did not show up to see the party-wall lessees flat! When I phoned to find out what happened, Reeds Rains did not do what they said they would do, and refused to take accurate notes of my calls! When I pleaded with the team manager to listen to call recordings, she replied that "she might". It transpired that they do not record calls, so tenants have no evidence of the lack of honesty of the Reeds Rains staff.

When i wanted to contact the Property Ombudsman about their lack of veracity and follow-up, I had to spend time writing to three different people, each giving me different replies. At least I had them in writing. With no resolution reached, they said that I could not complain to the Ombudsman until Reeds Rains confirmed that I had thoroughly faced their own complaints procedure. Suddenly I received an email with a person saying the could not understand my refusal to accept their apologies. They had never given any apology, and even copied my landlord into their communications making false allegations about My behaviour!

I finally accepted their apology stating that I would not take things further if they would copy my landlord into their apology and state what procedures I should expect when I report property management problems. No information was providedd, even though I mentioned a new problem in that email. No reply or acknowledgement of my report was made for three weeks, though I wrote asking for confirmation of receipt of my report! I went to the local office, and they kindly tried to find out who was managing the property I was renting.

I received a name of a person and wrote to that person, as well as customer services with no reply a month after i had reported the new problem. I finally phoned, to speak with a customer relations rep who did not seem to know anything, though she was the one who sent the apology. She said that she would find out who was now managing the property and email me with the new contact. Well, rather than provide a new contact, she only wrote that "she confirmed that I had actually gone to my local office and spoke with someone there"!

I am not the unreliable or dishonest person in this situation and am offended that she would check to see if I really spoke with the local office! She sent me an email stating that I should receive notification of my report within 24 hours. It has been three days and I still have no confirmation of my report, or any idea whether they are sending anyone to take a look at the problem

Do everything in writing with Reeds Rains, and avoid phone or face-to-face communications whenever possible. As a large national company, Reeds Rains gives property management companies and letting agents a bad reputation.