Tenancy review for 8 Ashdale Close in Huntington And Hatherton, Cannock rented from Trevor Percox rented via Goodchilds

Landlord rating: 2

The property was managed through the estate agents so I didn't have much communication with the landlord himself. When repairs were finally carried out 12 months after reporting them a good job was done.
However he tried to take extortionate amounts from my deposit when I left (even though I left the house cleaner than it was when I moved in!) including £160 for 4 cracked tiles, £25to remove a rabbit hutch that was already there when I moved in, £35 for a battery for a smoke alarm and £90 to paint two walls in a box sixed room. I had to dispute this with the tenancy deposit scheme. Luckily the adjudicator sided with me on things I had evidence for, but the landlord was awarded costs on some things.

Agency rating: 1

The agency were great to start with, good communication although this was before the tenant fees ban so I must have paid over £2,000 in total before I could move in. After moving in communication with the agency was very poor, barely responding to emails or calls and none of my issues were being sorted. Eventually the phone was just ringing out every time I called and emails were not being answered. I had to actually visit the office in order to speak to someone!
I was not properly informed on the process for getting my deposit back and it also needed disputing resulting in a long delay in getting my deposit back. I left the property in July 2017 but did not get my deposit back until January 2018.

Property rating: 8

The property was in good shape when I moved in. I absolutely loved the place! 2 bedroomed terraced house with conservatory and garage (although if I wanted use of the garage I would be charged an extra £50 a month rent). There were a few issues I picked up on when moving in, such as fence panels falling down and loose tiles on the roof.

Area rating: 10

The neighbourhood was very nice, we were a compact community of about 20 houses and everyone was friendly. There were local shops and a pub just down the road and I felt safe in the area. It was quiet and there were main transport links to where I worked.