Does anyone use Northwood Lettings

Joesmith2015

We rented through them over 2 years ago initially on a six month tenancy. When we looked around we were told house was going to be redecorated and new carpets before we moved in. Guess what walked into house on moving day and it was filthy and dirty carpets. After lots of emails and letters, as well as having to contact local council over a damp issue we gave our notice. We were not prepared to stay longer than the six months. I could tell they wanted to try everything they could to keep deposit. We left house cleaner than when we moved in. We told them if they wanted us to drop our issues over previous six months we expect our deposit back. Luckily they did. After the last seven years of renting this was the only LL where we had problems. Our current agent who we have used for over two years are fantastic.

dan7hughes

I rented through them for a year, they basically tried to defraud me.

After 6 months they asked me to sign a contract extension for 6 months, and promised if we wanted to leave within this period there would be no issue. We wanted to leave 1 month early and they said no we were in a contract - they lied but my fault for being naive.

However we did move out 1 month early and when moved out asked if we could at least have the inspection to see if they were happy to refund our deposit early. They did this and sent me a huge list of faults wrong to keep most of the deposit - I still had a set of keys and knew these faults were not how we left it so I returned to the property. Seems they had started to refurbish part of the property - some of the things they were withholding my deposit for were caused by builders doing work (eg entrance room carpet being dirty), others were just ridiculous as they had completely gutted rooms to refit them but were trying to charge me for damage to the fixtures that were no longer there and that I did not damage!

They ignored my first complaint but upon emailing the head of Northwood I did get my deposit back and a partial refund on the rent from that date until the end of my contract.

They are a franchise so in theory each office could differ greatly. However they clearly don't have that strict a control over franchises or the head of Northwood would spoken to both me and the individual franchise who attempted to defraud me.

So i'd urge anyone and everyone to avoid

MMM12

I got my house back literally as a renovation project after Northwood Milton Keynes failed to manage it properly. To keep this short basically what they do is rent to council tenants (though advertising suggests otherwise). If a tenant refuses them entry they will just go away and try again a little later. My house was not inspected for over a year, despite having issues around condensation mould and a dog on the premises flagged to them (not by me - I was oblivious to this). When they returned it trashed (and it was trashed - fixtures and fittings stolen, holes in doors and walls, the kitchen had rotted away etc etc it was disgustined - oh and the mould!!! everywhere), they said 'well we have been renting it for 8 years which is a long time, and then depreciated everything to nothing).... Then despite their advertising that states guaranteed income scheme is managed, they denied it being on a fully managed scheme. If you are a landlord already on this scheme demand to see your house. If you are thinking of going on this scheme DON'T. Just as long as the council are paying them money each month they don't care.

Ashcutus

I'm going through a nightmare with Northwood right now. Basically I was in a 2 month notice period with them, and during this time I found another house, but I had to take it on a specific date, but was after my 1 month notice period with NW. They verbally agreed with me (foolish of me not to get it in writing) that if they found a new tenant, then they would happily release me from my contract regardless.

So, a new tenant was found whilst I was still living there, and during all this time I did not have any written official correspondence from NW stating that they had accepted a new tenant, informed me of my checkout & final inspection - hell they have sent me nothing!

So, I call them to hand the keys in after I had moved, and now they are saying they want extra rent now as the new tenants couldn't move in quicker (again never told me this). So I sent them a letter after having a heated conversation with them over 2 weeks ago, and have basically been ignored until today - the day the new tenants have moved in.

I have a feeling that they are going to pull some crap to try and keep every penny of my deposit, even though the place is spotless (and I had a professional carpet cleaner hired to clean the place).

I've taken the complaint up with their head office as the regionals seem to be a right bunch of crooks. I would avoid like the plague.

T-Glynn

As a Landlord of Northwood, I am continually disappointed with the poor level of customer service and the lack of continuity afforded by the fully managed scheme, for which I pay a very high price for - approximately 26% of the rent. The scheme is very poor value for money. !For example, during the previous check-out of my property, the only qualified employee capable of carrying out the task, only listed two issues, when there were eleven. !While I was promised these issues would be resolved, following much debate and uncertainty, I had to push and complain in order for these issues to be eventually resolved, which took months.

These issues should have been resolved automatically and routinely, without the consternation that ensued. I was informed somewhat abruptly that works would be carried out only as a goodwill gesture, and yet on reading the company’s own guidelines concerning "wear and tear”, !the rules were contradicted, as the state of the painted walls and surfaces were clearly not the result of wear and tear after only 10 months of occupancy, especially when the Northwoods document detail periods of two to three years. !

Furthermore, when I complained to the franchise director for the rudeness of the office manager, nothing was done, as he chose to uphold the comments and rudeness of the office manager. !In closing, so often one member of the Northwood team will declare one point of view, which is then contradicted by another, and thus there seems to be no sense of continuity, as this is clearly a lack of communication between the team. !The franchise director unequivocally doesn't like to deal with his clients, and clearly places profits over client / customer satisfaction.

Sadly the only one professional manger I initially had dealings with, who was always so helpful and understanding, has since been told that she can no longer communicate with me - what an utter shambles, when this particular property company purport to be the best there is. !If you have a property to rent, I certainly would not recommend this property agent.

Guest101

That's great and everything, now off you pop to register with MSE forum mods as a business...

JamesStephenson

Guest101 - I would like to point out Mike Ablett's post was not an advert and as an individual he is entitled to defend his business he was clearly implying not all offices are the same, I think they provide an excellent service!

Kurt79

Don't go near Northwood Lettings! I used them for about 4 years (guaranteed rental). Some of the issues:

1. The tenant they got in turned out to be an employee of Northwood...massive conflict of interest
2. We ended up spending £6000 to fix damp caused by the tenant: She had a small dog (we said NO PETS) so never opened windows. Turned out that Northwood didn't do quarterly inspections as promised "because she is employed by us as a cleaner...so she will be taking good care of your place".
3. Tenant broke the back door (let it swing open in the wind and it broke the door frame). Northwood said I had to pay to fix it
4. Northwood paid me late multiple times
5. When I suggested the rent needed to go up, they "threatened" that the tenant will be advised to just not pay rent and Northwood would just pull out of the contract...and that I would need to serve a section 21 to get her removed.

The worst part of this situation was that my mortgage was about 25% more than what I was getting in income from Northwood.

edit:
6. Forgot about this one...The tenant had a plumbing issue on christmas eve (blocked toilet). So tenant decides to call an emergency plumber...cost a few hundred for the callout and work. Tenant didn't use the plumber we and Northwood specified (that we paid a monthly fee for so it would have cost nothing for the callout). Northwood sided again with the tenant and made us pay the plumber!

Guest101

JamesStephenson wrote: »

Guest101 - I would like to point out Mike Ablett's post was not an advert and as an individual he is entitled to defend his business he was clearly implying not all offices are the same, I think they provide an excellent service!

Wow a complete newbie jumping on here for just this one post... The Mods didn't agree with you...

Guest101

Kurt79 wrote: »

Don't go near Northwood Lettings! I used them for about 4 years (guaranteed rental). Some of the issues: - I agree that there are terrible agents operating under the Northwood name

1. The tenant they got in turned out to be an employee of Northwood...massive conflict of interest - How so? Northwood are the Landlord and can rent to whomever they want. Northwood are also your tenant, and you have no relationship with the person living in your property.
2. We ended up spending £6000 to fix damp caused by the tenant: She had a small dog (we said NO PETS - Then you should've taken your tenant (Northwood) to court. ) so never opened windows. Turned out that Northwood didn't do quarterly inspections - You seem to be getting slightly confused. They don't need to, as they are your tenant. as promised "because she is employed by us as a cleaner...so she will be taking good care of your place". - Irrelevant
3. Tenant broke the back door (let it swing open in the wind and it broke the door frame). Northwood said I had to pay to fix it - Correct, you could've taken your tenant (northwood) to court for the damages, I think you would've probably lost.
4. Northwood paid me late multiple times - Probably should've evicted them
5. When I suggested the rent needed to go up, they "threatened" that the tenant will be advised to just not pay rent and Northwood would just pull out of the contract...and that I would need to serve a section 21 to get her removed. - So much misinformation here....

The worst part of this situation was that my mortgage was about 25% more than what I was getting in income from Northwood. - That's down to bad research on your behalf though

edit:
6. Forgot about this one...The tenant had a plumbing issue on christmas eve (blocked toilet). So tenant decides to call an emergency plumber...cost a few hundred for the callout and work. Tenant didn't use the plumber we and Northwood specified (that we paid a monthly fee for so it would have cost nothing for the callout). Northwood sided again with the tenant and made us pay the plumber!- So sue your tenant (northwood)

In the guaranteed rental scheme, you rent the property to northwood, who become your tenant (a commercial contract) they then sublease it to whomever they wish.