2/5
GoogleAs a Landlord contracted up with Choices in Redhill I thought it only fair to warn people, STEER CLEAR OF CHOICES! On a plus point they seem to be very quick to get a tenant in, but thereafter the service and your bank balance goes downhill fast! They charge for EVERYTHING! Changing a tenant can cost $400-£500 plus the 10% management fee. Admittedly some within that are necessary, Inventory and Deposit registration, but others are way over the top, check in/out fees for example, that they charge both Landlords & tenants too! Tenants be warned too, I know of one tenant who was charged £80 just to move the day the rent was paid from the 1st to the 3rd of the month. Both Tenant and Landlord get suckered in, only to find we are suck having to pay numerous and creative fees. Each one covered by a wonderful little clause buried in some small print somewhere! And thats the problem, even if you try to cancel they take the annual fee in advance and is non-refundable, even if the tenant moves out early! so do you cut your losses or let them put another tenant in, either way you lose money!! They have you sign a Primary Tenancy Agreement. Its a VAT/Tax dodge for them but they sell it as a means of concealing your identity, as only Choices face the tenant, personally I have no problem my tenants knowing who I am, in fact I have have a better relationship if I deal with them directly as Choices tarnish it with their actions. It also means the tenant is theres so cancelling them means you lose the tenant, so if you rid yourself of a bad agent you may have to lose a perfectly decent tenant! The word crook would not be harsh when describing their management or practices. Staff turnover seems to be high too, I never know who I am talking to down there. Plus former staff have verified Choices do not have the customers interest foremost, merely extraction of as much money as they can get away with. This is a company whos reputation is spreading, amongst Landlords and tenants, one which will see the business decline with time. Be warned.... I rue the day I signed with them and when I can disintangle myself from them I will!! Don't make my mistake!
