Castles Estate Agent Anmeldelser 59

We have nothing but good experience with Castle Estates in Leigh on Sea over the past years. All of the office staff are kind, courteous and helpful whenever we contact them, and they are much more efficient and professional than the one or two other estate agents we have encountered in the area. They take pride in doing their best for their customers on both sides of the rental market, and are very aware of developments and changes in the market and the regulations. Their changes/ commissions are very reasonable and competitive, and they deal with any issues that need attention, urgent and otherwise, promptly and conscientiously. We can’t recommend them highly enough.

SUGGEST AVOIDING ALL PROPERTIES MANAGED BY CASTLES. MY EXPERIENCE BELOW.

Only positive aspect was Maint. team was supportive and responsive. 1 star for them.

-Rented me a flat with gaping holes to under the floorboards in the downstairs closet. Closet has no floorboards. Rodents accessing the closet - mice and rats. Maintenance got a pest guy ASAP for me who was, seemingly, the first person to notify Castles/landlord about the state of the closet.

-Castles suckers you into agreeing to REGULAR PROPERTY INSPECTIONS, which are invasions of privacy. They act as if its a neutral 3rd party who will take your issues and get things fixed. To some extent this is true, but I raised issues that were ignored. In the beginning of tenancy, they were forcing tenants to agree to QUARTERLY INSPECTIONS. Yes, thats, right - they sent agents around EVERY 3 MONTHS to invade our privacy and REPORT PHOTOS back to the landlord. I don't know if they do this for every property, my suspicion is that they offer it as a "unique service" to landlords and some landlords pay for the service. I ignored these inspections for 1 year (out of 5 years) and they threatened to fine me. They eventually hired an independent agency to carry out the inspections, who I became somewhat friendly with, and she revealed to me that their own agency told Castles they need to chill tf out with the quarterly inspections. They moved to Annual inspections (at least for me). For inspections, they would send out mass snail-mail and demand that everyone be at home and available for 6 hours on a Saturday. They'd force you to wait around, wasting half your Saturday, so someone can invade your privacy, take photos of your home, and send them to the landlord. (I've considered opening a legal case against them for this, I just don't have the time and energy at the moment for this type of project).

-Landlord and Castles allowed me to go for 6 weeks with no hot water. And I don't mean spotty hot water (that was 2+ months), I mean NO hot water available, because the boiler broke down. The maintenance lady was helpful, but the landlord was not responsive enough to an emergency, so every communication took a week to sort out. As an independent agency, they should have threatened the landlord with a fine on my behalf for this, because that's what would have happened tenant-side.

-Castles behaves as if they are an authoritative arm of the landlord, not an independent intermediary within the rental industry. This results in communications and demeanour using demanding, authoritative, legal-esque wording. I eventually had to tell them to fk-off, they are not an authoritative figure and I had to remind them that we are engaging within the PRIVATE CONTRACTS area of the economy/legal - which means ALL PARTIES have the same "type" of authority. This, combined with the property inspections, resulted in an environment similar to what you'd expect with housing which uses public funds (for example), etc, where there's a different type of balance of authority due to the nature of it. They always acted as if they had authority OVER me, rather than a partnership WITH me, until I stopped giving them any respect under this authority. I even explained myself on this topic - "you are not an authority figure, we are partners in a private contract" - at which point they seemed to quietly agree/understand.

-I sent Castles a multi-page complaint letter outlining all of the problems with the property and agency engagement. They did nothing with it. I even emailed the local senior manager offering to take him to lunch/pint to discuss the letter (like a business engagement). He deflected. Didn't care. Nothing changed with my issues or complaints.

-Had a big issue with raising rent. Landlord runs 8 properties and got underwater with recent interest spikes. Doesn't know what he's doing financially. I will give one positive note here: when I caused a total fuss over the rent and threatened to sue for the past issues/lack of action, a senior agent got involved and he was able to help the landlord fix his finances - I assume they worked out a way to spread the increased mortgage rates across the properties vs. applying them to each individual property. Once this manager got involved it helped, but resulted in my new rent price changing 4 times in 2 months.

-When I first moved in, they replaced the door and didnt get a copy of the key. Nobody asked me for one. Upon moving out, I received another scolding authoritative email saying they had to get a locksmith bc I put my keys through the mail slot (fairly standard in London) and they couldn't access (bc they didn't have their own key).

-They didn't release my deposit and I had to log a dispute with TDS. They took £200 from it with no notice for why (yet). Zero comms on deposit upon moveout.

In our experience, Castles Palmers Green should be avoided if you are a seller or buyer.
We were unfortunate enough to be shown around twice by someone who is somehow, breathtakingly a ‘senior’ something at this estate agent.

On the first viewing he showed us something tatty, in a passable location, and even so, there started the tedious and typical estate agent spew of factual inaccuracies, including that the value of that ramshackle space was going to double in 5 years. He soon stopped his clownish assertions when countered by someone else’s far more substantial experience in a related sector.
His follow-up was a patronising call in which he didn’t seem to know the price of the property he was selling, and then condescendingly advised not to see too many properties in case of confusion. Safe to say we explored other options and if I were the vendor I would be very disappointed by this person’s conduct.

Latterly, we saw another property, which we were reticent about seeing considering who we might have to interact with, but took a chance and sadly met the same over-aftershaved sales person.
After seeing the second place we had to call him the next week to give feedback, then when I promptly placed an offer, he didn’t have the courtesy to let me know what the outcome of it was and that it was under offer - I had to call weeks later to hear this. He didn’t even ask me to increase my offer! After requesting a call from the manager he instead called back apologising, saying he went to another local branch and therefore had limited access to emails.
Baffling that in this day and age a person loses access to emails whilst working in the same company, but at another branch. He can’t possibly think people are as intellectually dense as he appears to be!

If you choose to sell with them, please be aware that they lose access to email quite easily, and your sale may not progress due to an agent going to the bathroom or sandwich shop, and not having the capacity to pass things over to colleagues or pick up their own work with paying customers.

If the so-called estate agent put more stock in communicating facts, behaving genuinely, following up leads and getting back to buyers who offer their money for properties Castle’s are apparently trying to sell, rather than trying to show off his gaudy trinkets of pretend (rented) wealth, he might be a more personable and successful agent.

A positive expérience and huge thanks to Eleanor, Colin and Abraham at the Crouch End Office. A very kind and professional team with good communication and patience throughout the process of selling my flat. Thank you

I recently sold my property through the Enfield branch of Castles. It was all dealt with by Stephen Oswick who dealt with the sale and arranged viewings, recommended a solicitor and was there every step of the way. He was happy to answer any questions I had and made what could have been a very stressful time, go quite smoothly. Great service.

Castles is first and foremost good at getting things done. They have moved the process along, relentlessly chasing everyone in the chain. They did not waste any time. Gentian handled our case, he was very transparent throughout and kept things moving. If I could say one thing to improve upon is communication style, which was slightly abrasive sometimes. It did not bother me personally but I could see how it would put off some people.

I met a man who showed me the property at Longacre, Castleford and he was welcoming and polite, and helpful enough to give me a business card for use to call the office if I am interested to rent the property; the name on the card is Chris Loy and I guess it's the man.
When I called the office a lady, whose name I later found to be Lauren, responded and explained to me about the application process.
Throughout the application process she is very helpful and friendly and responded promptly and clearly to enquiries with good touches of professionalism and humanity.

So far so good, it's a seamless process from the 12th of February up to today, 21 February 2024, and I pray that the tenancy period proper will be the same if not better please.

Keep improving and bettering your system.

Well done Lauren and Team.

Chukwuanu Sunday Okagbue.

I rented a property through Castle Estates and found them to be an excellent agent to deal with. Hannah in particular went the extra mile and the whole process was effortless.

I recently bought a flat in Ludgershall, and the manager, Tony, was extremely helpful during the process, and even after I'd moved in, by arranging a plumber at short notice to cure a toilet malfunction, and subsequently calling in to give me advice when the front doorbell doorbell was not working.

STAY AWAY FROM CASTLES IN EATON BRAY especially if you want to get your deposit back! It does not deserve even 1 star! Stay away from 2 individuals: Jake Houchen and Lumina Antoine! They are SUPER RUDE and they are LIARS! Do not try to say I am not registered with you because my name is not on the tenancy agreement. You know me very well as you have dealt with me. I was paying half of the rent so this gives me right to talk as my other half paid the other half of the rent. His name is on the agreement. Mine was removed by Giblin Property for no reason. In June we asked Jake Houchen if we could leave the property early because my child did not get a local school. Jake Houchen on purpose delayed us because he only cared to make the landlord happy. He took 2 weeks only to let us know if the landlord agreed or not to an early release. His colleague Lumina Antoine asked us to pay a £640 as fee for the early release when they knew in the property there was a major leak. In September after my child started the school in Stoke Mandeville Jake Houchen phoned my husband saying we could leave without notice and without paying the admin fee. It was too late then as my child was already in school at Stoke Mandeville. SHAME on you Jake Houchen! You DID NOT CARE about a child! Also you told Brian you told me numerous times you could not deal with me as my name was not on the agreement. This is a LIE! You only told me once in an e mail you could not deal with me! Jake Houchen is not a good liar as he does not remember the lies he says! Him and his colleague Lumina Antoine convinced the landlord to make deductions from the deposit. Our deposit is now in dispute and we already sent our evidence. Jake Houchen and Lumina Antoine made a series of stories. They picked up every little thing. They accused me and my husband to break the freezer drawer when it was already broken when we moved in. They claimed one drawer was missing. This is another lie! The drawer was on the top of the bridge. I forgot to put it back after I cleaned the freezer. Jake Houchen and Lumina Antoine accused me and my husband of causing the mould in the bedroom’s wardrobe. They claimed we caused it because of poor ventilation. This is untrue. The window in the bedroom was open every single day for hours. Even the wardrobe’s doors were open every day because we noticed the property was damp! They are trying to deduct £125 from our deposit because they claim we caused the mould ourselves! They tried to say the contractor attended and they have a report. No contractor attended for the mould. The contractor attended to repair the wardrobe door as it was broken. My husband asked Lumina Antoine to send the contractor to treat the mould. She refused to send the contractor and she said:”wipe it away”. I wiped it off using a mould spray but the mould was so severe that after 2 weeks it came back. Get your facts right Jake Houchen and Lumina Antoine! It is the landlord responsibility to deal with mould issues! They even complained because we forgot to change 3 light bulbs. We went back to the property and we left a pack of 6 light bulbs but they are still trying to make a deduction from the deposit. They also complained that the plants and the bushes in the garden were in poor seasonal order. We are not gardeners! The landlord never sent a gardener in 3 years! Jake Houchen and Lumina Antoine are trying to get some money from the deposit for the landlord because the property will be empty for long time. Contractors are carrying out a large amount of work in the property and the landlord will not have any income for that property. Andy Smith who is the Sales Director did not deal with a complaint I raised. He could not be bothered to do so. He just ignored what I said in my complaint. AMAZING! A Sales Director who does not deal with complaints! If they answer to my review please please do not believe a word! STAY AWAY AWAY AWAY from Castles in Eaton Bray. You can find a much better estate agency! YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Castle Estates Stafford!! Avoid this estate agents at all costs if you want your deposit back. I am absolutely disgusted with how I was badly treated by this estate agents. The house I rented for only 6 months was in poor condition when I moved into the property. Unfortunately I did not take photos on the day when I moved in. Don’t make the mistake that I did and not take any photos. Read your inventory carful before rushing and signing the contract. I was left out of pocket when I had the property professional cleaned, and the estate agents still managed to keep three quarters of my deposits. In the whole time of 14 years of renting, I have never had a dispute with my deposit, until I rented with this estate agents. Despite providing evidence, unfortunately estate agents always win. I wouldn’t want anyone to be put through with what I got put through for the last couple of months. Please please avoid this agent if you want your deposit back.

Great to deal with. Took the hassle out of selling my place. Only contacted me when absolutely needed & got a great price. Very helpful also.

I recently rented a property through Castles Estate Agents in edmonton and I must say that my experience was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment I contacted them, their commitment to providing outstanding service was evident. Here are a few key points that stood out to me:

1. Responsiveness: Castles sets the gold standard when it comes to responsiveness. I was amazed at how quickly they got back to me, whether it was through email or phone calls. Their promptness in addressing my queries and concerns truly exceeded my expectations. Their swift responses were greatly appreciated.

2. Customer Service: The team gave us 5 star service. Every interaction I had with them was met with professionalism, patience, and a genuine willingness to assist. Their knowledge of the market and attention to detail ensured that I felt well-informed and confident throughout the entire process.

3. Friendly and Welcoming: The staff created a warm and inviting atmosphere that instantly put me at ease. Especially from Kathy, Alex and Franco. From the initial property viewings, their friendly demeanor made the experience enjoyable. They took the time to understand my preferences, listened attentively to my requirements, and tailored their recommendations accordingly.

Overall, I cannot recommend Castles Estate Agent highly enough. Their exemplary service, combined with their friendly approach and willingness to go above and beyond, sets them apart from the rest. If you're in search of a reliable and trustworthy estate agent, look no further. They will undoubtedly exceed your expectations and make your journey an absolute pleasure

Hi

Audrey Power looked after the selling of My Mams house & i have to say right from the start to the end of the sale it went so smooth with Audrey's Expertise .

As this was a emotional time for us all selling my Mams house
I felt Audrey was always there no matter what the problem was
We had viewings on Saturday & Audrey was texting that evening to tell us what offers were coming in she was so efficient it was unbelievable , She is so passionate about her Job & wants to give you the best service possible which she did without a Doubt


Audrey was so professional & i would highly recommend to anyone that is thinking of selling ,

So that you Audrey

Anne Kerrigan

Just spoke to Sirus he was very helpful and talked me through what I need. Thanks

Very bad experience. Everything was good, all nice and friendly until you sign the contract or you need to take your deposit back. They keep making up stories just to don’t return my deposit. They don’t care for tenants at all.
All the good reviews here are about the girl Natasha, which is doing the viewings and obviously you need to be nice when looking for possible tenants right? What about after you move in the new home? Took 2 years to finally do something about the mold, because my daughter was getting sick because of this. And now I’m waiting 1 month and a half for my deposit. They just don’t want to give it to me 😞

Awesome staff, helpful all the way, made the whole process seem easy and simple.

I viewed a property earlier today with Natasha. She was very professional and gave us plenty of information about the property.

Natasha was a star! She arrived on time, was really friendly and patient during the viewing. She gave me enough time to view without any pressure and then was readily available to answer any queries afterwards which was very good. :)

Natasha was super helpful and positive
Thank you