My flatmate and I lived in a flat managed by Property Moves for one year, between September 2017 and September 2018. We loved our flat. It was absolutely beautiful and the location was perfect, but our overall experiences with Property Moves left a lot to be desired. Having read a lot of reviews on Google and other places, it seems that many people have had a positive experience, but we definitely did not. In retrospect, we've been questioning why we were treated poorly and often just ignored--perhaps this was because we were international students (Americans) doing a one-year master's at Sussex?
To illustrate the reason for our negative review, here is a list of some of the specific incidents and inconveniences that peppered our tenancy and left us with a generally bitter taste in our mouths.
1.When we moved in, the flat was extremely dirty. There was construction dust on practically every surface. The windows were grimy and smudged inside and out, and there were smudges on doors and doorknobs throughout. The kitchen was the worst. It seemed as though nobody had bothered to clean the flat since the previous tenants left--or perhaps they did not leave it to standard--but we made notes of all of this on the initial inventory because all told, it took three people and about three full days to clean.
2.Upon moving in, we noticed that three of the windows in our flat (which faced the seafront) were loose/crooked on their frames, creating a crack which allowed for a significant breeze, and even water to seep in when it rained hard. One was missing a handle. We requested repair works immediately, and while it did eventually get taken care of, it was like pulling teeth. It seemed like the follow-up/chasing down the contractor/approving the works with the landlord was complicated beyond the ability of PM to handle. It took such a long time and required us to call both PM and the contractor for any information- we were always kept in the dark about what exactly was going on. (Eventually we got tired of this and requested to be contacted ANY time PM had an update for us--which they complied with, for the most part.)
3.Water leak issue: this one is almost comical. About a month into our tenancy, we noticed a damp spot near the ceiling of our toilet wall, as if there were a leak from the flat above. We took pictures and sent them to PM immediately, assuming this was cause for great concern. Well, PM contacted our block management company who then contacted us... but it was like playing telephone. PM reported it as a leak from our flat, Austin Rees took a very long time to follow up, we followed up with both parties who got their signals so crossed that nobody knew what was going on anymore. Even the lady upstairs got involved (and blamed us for having to have her shower and bath wall repaired, haha...) We never actually spoke to a contractor despite repeated attempts to contact. Finally, around March/April this year, a contractor came to assess the damage. The repair didn't get carried out until June or July, so all in all, 8 MONTHS after we reported the damage.
4.In November 2017, our shower drain became completely blocked very suddenly, over a weekend. We were unable to get in touch with PM so we contacted our block management company, who asks that plumbing/electrical works be carried out by specific companies. We were advised to call Aquatech, which we did, only to be admonished by PM when we explained the issue to them afterwards. The procedure they follow for emergency maintenance is in no way elucidated on the contract so we just did what was necessary, in a transparent and quick manner.
5.When we moved out of the flat in September 2018, we cleaned meticulously and very carefully. The pictures we took after our final cleaning speak for themselves, especially when compared to move-in pictures. We paid special attention to the floorboards, cabinets, limescale, the windows, cleaning the linoleum floors etc. Somehow, we still got charged for oven cleaning (which we had done) and for "general cleaning" which just seems ridiculous. We consulted whether to try to dispute these charges which were clearly arbitrary (and absurd, considering how disgusting the flat was when we moved in), but determined that we would rather lose £91 than fight another battle with PM.
In general, we found that with enough pressure and repeated requests, PM did respond to us when we needed help. Maybe this was a symptom of extreme business, but it came across as apathetic and unresponsive, which is not what to look for in a letting agency. Almost unfailingly, the agents we dealt with talked to us (and emailed us) in a clipped and disrespectful tone, as though we were a nuisance and not deserving of their time. Perhaps this was a cultural difference, but I find that a sad excuse for treating people (especially young, foreign people) in a rude and dismissive way. Please consider these factors before deciding whether to rent with PM. read more