Avoid this agency at all costs. I paid a £461.53 holding deposit to Streets Ahead to secure a rental property and was assured by the agent that referencing came back fine on WhatsApp and that I should give my notice. Based on this, I gave notice on my current home. She then came back stating that my housing reference came back that I had one late payment in 4 years so I have a conditional offer (not failed), and they changed the terms of the agreement — suddenly demanding 3–6 months’ rent upfront and a guarantor, which were never discussed beforehand - as well as security deposit. This would have been £8.5k minimum to be paid. This was not something we could afford and felt like a drastic change in terms. When I shared this was an issue they then said they could do flatfair for us to waiver the security deposit - I had asked about flatfair the previous Sunday and was told it wasn't available. When I was no longer able to proceed under these revised terms, they refused to refund my holding deposit and wrongly claimed the Tenant Fees Act 2019 does not apply to holding deposits — which is simply false. Their communication was inconsistent, unprofessional, and misleading throughout. This experience has left me at risk of being without a home. I would not recommend Streets Ahead to anyone looking for transparency, professionalism, or ethical practice. And only because I don't believe in pulling down young women I will hold out on sharing the agents full name.