SpareRoom www.spareroom.co.uk

Besides the fact that the platform doesn't make it very easy for renter to find a place the platform is NOT to be trusted.

I got tricked in paying deposit and 1 month worth of rent by a so called estate agency which had a website and everything.

Spareroom should make sure they check all the accounts and listings properly as they weren't even able to detect the sham after it happened. I don't understand why they ask people to pay for premium when they can't even detect shammers on their own platform, shame on you!

Be very careful and try to avoid if you can!

I have never had a good experience renting on Spareroom. I have lived in 5 house shares & all have had issues. One house share I never got my full deposit back from the landlord because of tea stains which was untrue. The 2nd house share despite paying rent on time they wanted me to pay the 1st of every month despite seeing on my bank statements I got paid the 3rd of each month. So would not renew my tenancy so had to move out. The 3rd house share had a pervy guy and another guy who complained about everyone. The fourth was a live in landlord who kept harassing me and didn’t give my deposit back. The 5th house share had 4 tenants who were harassing and racist towards me. I moved out thankfully and found a place of my own a nice little flat I have lived in for a year now. Spareroom should get agents or landlord to do a DBS check before advertising properties to new tenants especially if it’s private landlord. People are not to be trusted.

Moved into a spareroom property in Belfast BT18. House had a very well presented online profile. When viewed it was very well looked after had reasonable facilities and was very tidy.

Soon after moving in I had to spend a day scrubbing a thick layer of damp off 2 of the 4 bedsit walls. I was then told that my bedsit room window had to be open 24x7 to avoid the damp problem. (something to do with what materials were used to build this ex-council house)

Because of the permanently open window and despite the thermostatically controlled heating the temp in my room varied between 17.5 to 19C chilly to cool.

Expecting anyone to pay good money for a room at 17.5C is a basic problem the landlady needs to fix regardless of how well the house looks in the profile.

They think it is the only website we can use to rent our properties and do what they want

They take our money and then block us for any silly reason, NOW apparently we are only allowed to have one account per person/Company

Two people cannot advertise the same property despite we PAY a lot of money!!

And if they don't like you for any reason, then they just block you and that;s it!

THIS IS UNFAIR

Lately they are changing a lot of stuff and it is Getting worse and worse

I would not raccomend anyone to use Spareroom

I was desperately looking for a double room to rent in Leeds then found one in Burley  I spoke to a lady who is from Leeds on the phone and we've arranged an appointment the next day to visit the property. She never turned up, I stood outside the property for an hour and it was freezing cold and even raining. I tried to call her on numerous occasion but she would not pick up the phone. Then a lodger at the property coming from work saw me standing in the cold all wet and let me wait inside and we called her several times but not reply. Beware of of these people; they're unscrupulous people. I waited two hours then went home. I complained to spareroom but they haven't done anything

I really wanted to write a review about the nightmare landlady I have had to endure at 49 Bulan Road in Oxford.. stay away from this address.. rooms are nothing like advertised and has too many people there paying premium prices for rooms and services they will not receive.. 7 people can’t cook at once and to say just bring luggage just like hotel room is so far from the truth and after a few months there I promise you will share my opinion that this woman has a mental health problem.. stay there at your peril.. oh and don’t forget when you leave not to expect your full bond back.. she will dream up some reason or accusation to justify in her insane head that she has the right to deduct monies for whatever she ikes..

 Make sure to ask for proof of address and view the property before paying deposit. DPS, Western Union are the common mode of payment. To be safe, look for a reliable agencies with office.

Set up a number of searches based on different areas. Signed up to the 'Early Bird' option and began contacting various vendors. Only ever had one response (and then only after a number of resent messages). Other vendors have simply not responded. Weeks later my saved searches show the same properties - all apparently still available?

You would reasonably expect a vendor to be checking emails every day to see if anyone is interested in their property? The fact that vendors are not responding leads me to suggest they are bogus ads, designed to keep searchers returning to the site?

Contacted the site owner, who stated they do not have any process for contacting vendors. There does not seem either to be a process in place to remove adverts after a certain time limit or when a vendor does not respond to messages?

Another oddity of this site is what the owners call "Our favourite ads". These usually portray pictures of attractive young women (with the occassional male thrown in to add some kind of balance) or 'boutique' rooms. What purpose do these serve - other than to say to visitors "if you are young and attractive you will find a room easily"?

I paid the £10 early bird fee in order to obtain the phone number for a room to rent.when I phoned I was told the room was no longer available.when I mentioned the fact it was still on the website they hung up on me.after a few days the advert was no longer an early bird ad so the phone number was visible,for all of 1 day.then it went back to early bird again.thinking the room may be available again and already having the phone number,I called it again.again I was told the room was taken and she put the phone down on me again!

This was over a year ago and the room is still advertised today.as an early bird ad!

I have noticed exactly the same thing with 4 other ads in my area over the last year!

Spare room is a cheating dishonest company!

I paid the £10 early bird fee in order to obtain the phone number for a room to rent.when I phoned I was told the room was no longer available.when I mentioned the fact it was still on the website they hung up on me.after a few days the advert was no longer an early bird ad so the phone number was visible,for all of 1 day.then it went back to early bird again.thinking the room may be available again and already having the phone number,I called it again.again I was told the room was taken and she put the phone down on me again!

This was over a year ago and the room is still advertised today.as an early bird ad!

I have noticed exactly the same thing with 4 other ads in my area over the last year!

Spare room is a cheating dishonest company!