We were tenants with Miles & Barr and recently purchased our own home, at which point we gave notice on the rental property. Initially, everything progressed smoothly. A checkout visit was carried out where we walked through the property together, discussed its condition, and reviewed any alterations we had made. We were reassured at that time that everything was acceptable, that the condition reflected fair wear and tear, and that no further action was required. Due to work commitments requiring me to be away, I contacted the office to confirm whether it would be acceptable to return the keys by posting them through the property’s letterbox. I was advised that this would be fine, as the agency already held a separate set of keys and had been accessing the property for viewings. However, the situation changed when Susan from the Ashford branch became involved. She contacted me asking where the keys were, and when I explained the instructions I had been given, she was dismissive, did not appear to believe me, and spoke in a rude and abrupt manner before ending the call. Shortly after, she sent an email stating that we would be charged for a locksmith to retrieve the keys. I attempted to resolve this immediately by calling back multiple times, but on each occasion I was told she was unavailable. We then followed up in writing, reiterating that the agency already had keys and that we had acted in accordance with the guidance provided. In our view, instructing a locksmith was unnecessary and unjustified. A few days later, Susan carried out a further inspection and issued a report listing several issues. Many of these were pre-existing and unchanged from the start of our tenancy—for example, chips in the kitchen floor tiles. She also claimed that pendant light cables were exposed due to heavy light fittings. However, her own photographs show that the fittings had not been altered; the issue appears to be with how they were originally installed, with the cable covering simply having slipped. Throughout our tenancy, Susan’s conduct as property manager was consistently unprofessional. She often appeared disengaged during inspections and communicated in a blunt and unwelcoming manner. More concerningly, there now appears to be an attempt to attribute existing wear and tear or pre-existing issues to us, despite earlier assurances that the property condition was acceptable. Based on our experience, I would strongly advise any future tenants of Miles & Barr to document everything thoroughly—not just general photos at move-in, but detailed images of all fixtures and fittings, along with keeping written records of all communications, inspections, and agreements. Clear documentation is essential, as internal communication and record-keeping within the agency appear to be inconsistent. or they are just liers and make things up as they go along (probably most likely)