AVOID NORTHWOOD ABERDEEN AT ALL COST!!! Our 18-month experience with Northwood Aberdeen was awful beyond words can describe. As new international students who arrived in the UK in January 2022, my spouse and I were desperate to find accommodation and settled for an old, poorly insulated apartment managed by Northwood. Initially, Northwood was responsive to our inquiries, which is why I gave them two stars, but the subsequent experiences were terrible. Our troubles began when we discovered a crack in the kitchen window. After reporting it, Northwood concluded we caused the crack by installing an adhesive blind, demanding we pay over £200 for a new window. Despite our explanations and the contractor’s confirmation that the blind couldn't have caused the crack, Northwood remained adamant. Things worsened when we sought to move to a larger Northwood property, a 2-bedroom bungalow nearby. The viewing was unprofessional; the agent was preoccupied and dismissive. Despite this, we applied, providing comprehensive documentation, including my husband's payslips and a reference from his manager. I also provided my upcoming employment details and a reference from my future manager. Surprisingly, Northwood insisted we needed a guarantor, despite our clear financial capacity and rental history. Reluctantly, we provided one, but then they absurdly requested a landlord reference from themselves, delaying our application because our property manager was on leave. After repeated follow-ups, we were finally informed the apartment was rented to someone else, indicating Northwood’s apparent unwillingness to rent to us. As we searched for other apartments, we faced more issues. We needed a landlord reference from Northwood for a new application with another agency. Northwood refused unless we gave a one-month notice to vacate, even though we were only in the application stage. This seemed like targeted discrimination against us as immigrants. Forced to comply, we eventually secured a new apartment elsewhere, without needing a guarantor. Before leaving, we hired a cleaning company and documented the apartment’s condition, which had normal wear and tear. The only significant damage was a fire-grazed kitchen hob. Northwood had 31 business days to dispute our deposit but waited until the last moment to claim the entire £495 deposit and demanded an additional £200 for damages and cleaning. This unprofessional behavior was rightly timed by the property manager the night before his three-week leave commenced leaving us without anyone to clarify our doubts. We provided evidence of the apartment’s condition and the mould issue, which Northwood had ignored, but they rejected all our proof. We took responsibility for the damaged hob and made a reasonable offer through Deposit Scotland. After months of silence and deadlines passing, Northwood eventually claimed the entire deposit, suggesting they were doing us a favour by not asking for more. Our prolonged struggle with Northwood was exhausting and felt deeply discriminatory. This detailed account aims to warn potential renters. Northwood Aberdeen seems to prioritize landlords and lacks respect for tenants, responding to emails at odd hours and openly discriminating without accountability. Now, living in a new apartment managed by a different agent, the stark difference in treatment is clear.