Very disappointed with their student lettings service, especially given the plethora of awards and 4 and 5 star ratings they have received. Every time there is a problem, Nicholas Humphreys have a habit of blaming someone or something else, and accept no responsibility for their own actions, or lack of action, whether it being a previous member of staff not conforming to the company's 'high standards', the property being 'old', or the maintenance man being busy with 'emergency jobs'.
Things get done in a roundabout way, but the length of time it takes is not worth the time, hassle, or money, especially given the low standard of maintenance produced as a result.
The house I rented was a disgrace upon arrival; it was clear it had not been maintained or inspected since the last tenants left the property. I was not provided with an inventory, and things went from bad to worse from there on in.
Email contact for maintenance and queries is appalling; I often wait weeks for a response. My house manager has changed numerous times, which is understandable, but at no point was I informed of the change.
This called for an official complaint, yet there seems to be no system in place to do so. After several months, a complaint was finally made about the service received, but little was done about it.
This is just a small sample of the many things that have gone wrong with my time with this company; I will endeavour to avoid them at all costs in future, and encourage others to do the same.
Reply from agent
Upon moving into the property, action was taken by Nicholas Humphreys on all of the reported defects in timely manner. Although you are correct in saying that we are unable to take responsibility for the contractors completing work in the requested timeframe, this is not a reflection on the work that the property management team dedicates to following up with contractors and ensuring that if there are any delays the works are still completed at the soonest possible opportunity. In multiple cases during your tenancy, we instructed different contractors in order to speed up the service and resolve your issues as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, due to the nature of lettings, there are occasions in which contractors need to prioritise certain jobs over others and it is essential that we assess the severity of defects, unfortunately there are certain issues that arise in properties that will take precedence to ensure the safety and security of our tenants.
Again, you are correct, when your tenancy began a staff member did leave the company. During your tenancy, you have had 2 main points of contact and also had the use of our online maintenance portal to report any defects. It is only in recent weeks that one of your main points of contact have transferred to a different department, yet as he has still been overseeing the portfolio in order to ensure a detailed handover of the portfolio is completed and therefore this has had no impact on your tenancy.
With regards to the kitchen floor, this did not collapse, there was an issue with the joists and therefore not something that as agent we would have any control over. This issue was rectified within the week. You had full use of the property while this was carried out, temporary cooking appliances were provided and it was agreed with yourselves that this would go ahead and that you would not be required to vacate. Had this have been requested or deemed necessary, we would have arranged this. Although negotiations took place in regards to the amount of rent to be reimburse to the tenants a compromise has been reached and the extra £11 per person as requested has been agreed
With regards to your comments on our complaints procedure, upon request, you were emailed our formal complaints procedure, this was followed by 2 senior members of staff arranging a visit with the house and a timeline of works laid out. You were provided with a new front door, a brand new corner sofa, a newly fitted kitchen, laminate flooring in the kitchen and dining room and multiple other jobs as requested.
Although there is no denying that the unexpected issue with the flooring was most certainly a shock for everyone involved, it was a structural issue that could not be avoided and was addressed in an efficient manner. Unfortunately, not all requests put forward by tenants can be attended to, yet throughout your tenancy an extensive amount of work has been carried out at your property and both Nicholas Humphreys and your landlord have been more then forthcoming in accommodating your requests.
