Our reply... We have no trace of Gary Orman on our applicant database here at Martin & Co Pontefract and can only assume this is a malicious review. There is no scam and we certainly wouldn't have all the other great reviews here on Google if that was how we operated as a branch. As I'm sure you're aware Google reviews can't be manipulated, unlike some other platforms, which is probably why you left this malicious one on here. Just to also add that if the rent on the property you're looking at is £500 per month the holding deposit should be £115 and the deposit only £576, which is set out by law. Have you made the whole thing up just to submit a false review? In any event I hope you are successful in securing a new property with your agent of choice as it is unlikely it will be with us. Michelle Martin & Co Pontefract

Hi Ella Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I’m sorry that your experience has been disappointing and that you missed out on the flat. Looking at the notes on your contact record, we did leave a voicemail for you but the flat you enquired about went under application later that day. We did receive a lot of enquiries about that property and can only take one application forward. We do try to ensure all applicants are contacted promptly, whether by email or phone, and will, of course review our procedures to ensure that your experience isn’t repeated by other applicants. I wish you well in your property search. Michelle

Hi John, I’m really not sure why you felt the need to leave a 1 star review when you say you haven’t dealt with us?

I’m sorry that you feel this way Wayne. I’m sure that the team would not have intentionally misled you but if you have any concerns now that your deposit has been finalised and your tenancy has ended, please let me have more details by email and I will investigate it further. Michelle

Hello Melissa, I’m sorry that your tenancy ended earlier than you had hoped for, and that you felt the need to leave this review as a result of the dispute over your deposit. As you know we use an independent inventory clerk and his report forms the basis of our discussions about the return of a deposit at the end of each tenancy. This has now been concluded but if there is anything further that I can help with just let me know. Michelle

Thank you for taking the time to post this review. We are disappointed to have been awarded a one star rating and have discussed this with the staff. I can confirm we tried to contact you on the day of the appointment by various means – phone, text and email – and our last message was a voicemail late in the afternoon saying that as we had not been able to confirm the appointment with you, unless we hear back we would not be able to attend the viewing. Your only contact with us on that day came after our office in Pontefract had closed and you spoke to our out of hours receptionist to say no-one had turned up to the appointment. Had you replied to our earlier messages we would have been there. I’m sorry that you missed out – we did give you the opportunity to rearrange the viewing when exchanging emails the following morning. Kind regards, Martin & Co Pontefract

Dear Ms Vaughan Thank you for taking the time to post your review. I do understand you are disappointed that your sale has not completed, as are we, but you have included a number of incorrect details which I must respond to. It is the prospective purchaser’s mortgage company that has the 8 day turnaround on any documents submitted – this is their deadline not ours. At the point an offer is made on a property there would only be a mortgage agreement in principal document not a mortgage offer, which usually follows later in the process. The agreement in principle was seen by us before solicitors were instructed. The surveyor visit to the property was almost cancelled due to a clash in his diary and not having sufficient time to collect keys from us, do the survey and return keys the same day. Rather than having him rearrange his visit and potentially delaying matters even further, we offered to meet him at the property and stayed with him whilst the survey was carried out, locking up afterwards. I’m aware that you accepted the offer (in the middle of April) on the basis of a quick completion which the purchasers were willing to agree to. We did not suggest at any point that completion would take place in May as this would be set by solicitors after discussions with their respective clients. I’m aware that 1 July was put forward as a possible completion date by the prospective purchasers but the subsequent delays with their mortgage application meant this wasn’t achievable. It is regrettable that their mortgage offer has not come through in a timescale either of us were happy with but, as you are aware, we have been in regular contact with the purchasers and their mortgage advisor to try and keep the deal moving forward, to try to reach a successful conclusion for you. We could not have foreseen the delays experienced with their mortgage application. At any point in the process you could have made the decision to withdraw from the sale – we did in fact discuss this with you on numerous occasions - and you decided to stick with the offer and the prospective purchaser in the hope of reaching a successful conclusion. With regards to the contractor, you asked us to recommend a decorator and we simply passed on a phone number. You agreed the work and price directly with him – we were not involved in any other aspect of this. He has business dealings with us and is entitled to leave a review of our services in the same way that you are. I know that you’re disappointed at the moment. We've worked very hard to achieve a sale for you without a penny in sales fees being achieved. That’s our risk, as an agent who charges on results, but in the context of your review I do feel it should be mentioned. Finally, perhaps I should take this opportunity to again say thank you for the referral you made to us recently of a gentleman with a property to sell in Byram. You haven’t always been so unhappy with us. Martin & Co Pontefract