Hi Gilbert, Usually despot returns run smoother than it did for your tenancy; as estate agents we cannot return a deposit without signoff from your landlord which was delayed because of the landlord's personal circumstances. But "not a word" is not accurate: we did call and left messages, spoke with your partner and have remained in email contact.

Dear Mr Neeley, Thank you for your feedback and I apologise that you felt that the service you received was below what you expected. I can see from our records you viewed two properties with Martin & Co with your partner Louise and made an application for one of them. Unfortunately you were not the only applicants we received for that property from the viewings that occurred. When we receive more than one application we always consult with the landlord and provide them with information about all the customers who have applied. The landlord then makes a decision on which applicants they want to proceed with. Unfortunately in this case you were not selected and we realise that this must have been disappointing. As soon as we received notification from the landlord we provided you with a full refund on your application fees. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Dear Mr Neeley, Thank you for your feedback and I apologise that you felt that the service you received was below what you expected. I can see from our records you viewed two properties with Martin & Co with your partner Louise and made an application for one of them. Unfortunately you were not the only applicants we received for that property from the viewings that occurred. When we receive more than one application we always consult with the landlord and provide them with information about all the customers who have applied. The landlord then makes a decision on which applicants they want to proceed with. Unfortunately in this case you were not selected and we realise that this must have been disappointing. As soon as we received notification from the landlord we provided you with a full refund on your application fees. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Let’s clear the fog with some facts: We paid the rent exactly where the executors directed us to — not the “wrong” account. When probate completed, we followed new instructions and paid the next rent to your account as instructed. Asking us to immediately refund payments that were correctly made to the solicitors is not reasonable, but we helped nonetheless and liaised with the executors on your behalf, got the rent you were entitled to back, and forwarded on the rent to you once it was returned. Normally we ask for some notice when a landlord takes over the management of a property: this allows us to prepare a proper handover, but in your case, we were more than pleased to end our agency with immediate effect. When you took over the management the tenant paid us part of the rent once, in error: there was no tenant “confronting” us or us telling you the tenant hadn’t paid. Normally we return the rent to the tenant, so that they will pay the rent to you going forward, but because you needed the rent we passed the rent on to you— as a courtesy. Gas safety certificates are usually carried out and renewed close to their expiry dates, and not weeks or months in advance. There was just under one month left on the gas safety certificate when you took over the management, and there was over two months left on the electrical safety certificate.

Dear Alexandra, I am sorry to hear of your experience and looked into the matter and I do not share your sentiment. You were forceful and hostile towards Jodie, and Jodie handled the conversation to my full satisfaction and set boundaries as I would expect her to. I expect our clients to treat my team with the same respect we treat our clients with, and in this case we cannot accept the way you spoke.