James Laurence Sales and Lettings in Birmingham

Good afternoon Adriana, Thank you for taking the time to leave your review. I'm sorry to hear that your experience during the tenancy changeover did not meet your expectations. Having reviewed the correspondence, we can see that communication regarding the tenancy swap began in April, with information provided about the landlord's approval process, referencing requirements and the handling of the tenancy deposit. However, it is also clear that communication slowed following a colleague's annual leave, and we appreciate how frustrating this must have been. Following a team members telephone conversation, our Head of Property Management personally ensured that the tenancy agreement was progressed through to signing as quickly as possible. With regard to the rent, this became payable from the agreed tenancy commencement date. However, we appreciate that the delays and lack of clear communication around the handover, key collection and documentation understandably impacted your experience. Please accept our sincere apologies for the aspects of the process that were not communicated as clearly or promptly as they should have been. We value all feedback and will use your comments to help improve our communication during tenancy transfers. Kind regards,

We take all feedback seriously; however, we have no record of any tenancy or client matching this name.

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are genuinely sorry to hear that your experience has not met expectations and appreciate the opportunity to respond to the concerns raised. Regarding the initial viewing process, we acknowledge there was some back and forth when arranging access. Coordinating between multiple parties, including existing tenants and diaries, can occasionally present challenges, and we appreciate your patience during that time. In relation to the condition of the property upon move-in, we take such matters seriously. Following your report, we engaged contractors who attended promptly to address the issues raised. Whilst they did confirm that some items required rectification, they also advised that the property was safe and habitable at the point of occupation. We recognise, however, that this did not align with your expectations, and we regret any inconvenience caused while remedial works were undertaken. With regard to communication and accountability, we would like to clarify that your concerns covered a range of matters managed across different areas of the business. To ensure each issue was handled accurately and efficiently, responses were provided by the relevant department managers, including our Lettings Manager and Head of Property Management. This was intended to provide informed and appropriate resolutions rather than deflect responsibility. We are pleased that Alison Day was able to assist in progressing matters, and we will be reviewing your feedback internally to identify where communication and coordination can be improved moving forward. We remain committed to resolving any outstanding issues and improving our service. Should you wish to discuss anything further, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.

Thank you for your review. We are sorry to hear that you have been dissatisfied with the service received and have carefully looked into the points you have raised. Regarding the viewing arrangements, there was some understandable back and forth while coordinating availability between our team, the sitting tenants, and yourself. We appreciate that this was not ideal and thank you for your patience during this process. Following your comments, we also spoke with the contractor who attended the property. They confirmed that there were a few items requiring attention, including the washing machine, which unfortunately could not be tested prior to your move-in. We are pleased that these issues were addressed promptly, and the contractor confirmed that the property was safe and habitable at the time. In relation to accountability, we would like to reassure you that responsibility was not being passed between departments. Your concerns covered several areas, and to ensure each was handled thoroughly and accurately, the relevant department managers responded to the aspects within their expertise. This is why you received communication from both our Lettings Manager and Head of Property Management, ensuring all elements of your concerns were addressed appropriately. We are committed to providing a high level of service and appreciate your feedback, as it helps us to continually improve. If there is anything further you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.

Thank you for your review. We are sorry to hear that you have been dissatisfied with the service received and have carefully looked into the points you have raised. Regarding the viewing arrangements, there was some understandable back and forth while coordinating availability between our team, the sitting tenants, and yourself. We appreciate that this was not ideal and thank you for your patience during this process. Following your comments, we also spoke with the contractor who attended the property. They confirmed that there were a few items requiring attention, including the washing machine, which unfortunately could not be tested prior to your move-in. We are pleased that these issues were addressed promptly, and the contractor confirmed that the property was safe and habitable at the time. In relation to accountability, we would like to reassure you that responsibility was not being passed between departments. Your concerns covered several areas, and to ensure each was handled thoroughly and accurately, the relevant department managers responded to the aspects within their expertise. This is why you received communication from both our Lettings Manager and Head of Property Management, ensuring all elements of your concerns were addressed appropriately. We are committed to providing a high level of service and appreciate your feedback, as it helps us to continually improve. If there is anything further you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.

Thank you, Maidera!

Thank you, Koteswara!

Thank you, Steve!

Thank you, Steve!

Thank you, Louise! :)

We take all feedback seriously; however, we have no record of any tenancy or client matching this name. The details described do not correspond with any of our managed properties or service history, which raises concerns that this review may be malicious or inaccurate. Our team prides itself on transparency, responsive communication, and fair handling of all maintenance and deposit matters in accordance with the DPS (Deposit Protection Service) guidelines. We encourage the reviewer to contact our office directly at 0121 604 4060 so that we can verify their tenancy and address any genuine concerns appropriately.

Thank you, Molly!!

Thank you!!

Thank you for your further comments. We did read your review in full, and our position remains unchanged. As a letting agent, our role is to act on behalf of the landlord within the framework of the tenancy agreement and the deposit protection process. We do not have the authority to unilaterally override or refuse deductions requested by a landlord, nor can we pre-empt the outcome of a deposit dispute. Where there is disagreement, the correct and independent route is adjudication via the DPS, which is exactly what occurred in your case. At check-in and check-out, reports and supporting evidence are compiled and submitted. Where there is a dispute over liability, it is not the agent’s role to “protect” one party over the other, but to submit the relevant information and allow the independent adjudicator to make a decision. This ensures fairness for both landlord and tenant. The DPS adjudication process worked as intended: claims were reviewed independently, evidence was assessed, and only the costs deemed reasonable were awarded. This outcome demonstrates that tenants do have protection through the deposit scheme, rather than decisions being made solely by the agent. We appreciate that deposit disputes can be stressful, but disagreement with a landlord’s initial claim does not imply negligence or misconduct by the agent. The appropriate mechanism was followed throughout, and no charges were imposed outside of the DPS process. We consider this matter closed and will not be engaging further on this review.

Thank you for taking the time to leave your review. We’re sorry to hear that your experience at New Hampton Lofts did not meet expectations. We can confirm that a number of maintenance issues were raised at the start of the tenancy and throughout its duration. These were reported to the landlord promptly. In this case, the landlord chose to instruct their own contractors rather than those normally used by our office, which unfortunately limited our ability to directly control timescales. We did continue to chase progress on your behalf and acknowledge that some works took longer than anyone would have wished. With regard to heating and utilities, the building operates with a fixed energy supplier, and this information was outlined within both the marketing materials and the tenancy agreement prior to move-in. The communal areas, including the car park and post room, fall under the responsibility of the building’s managing agents rather than our office. That said, we did raise reported concerns with the managing agents during your tenancy. At the end of the tenancy, an independent inventory clerk carried out the check-out inspection, and the report was shared with both yourself and the landlord. Any proposed deposit deductions were requested by the landlord based on that report. As is standard practice, your deposit was protected with the DPS, and the independent adjudication process was used to resolve the dispute. We appreciate that moving home can be stressful, particularly when maintenance or deposit matters are involved, and we regret that this experience has left you dissatisfied. We always aim to act in line with our obligations and to support both landlords and tenants as fairly as possible.

Thank you, Sumeet!

Thank you, Jamie!

Thank you, Jessie!

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Please note that all requests for deposit deductions were requested by your landlord. It would be a breach of your tenancy agreement to make changes to the property without putting a request forward for such changes, drilling a hole through the wall from outside of the property to fit the cable would need to be authorised by your landlord. Your landlord requested a quote from her own contractor to return the property to its original condition which involved filling the hole from inside to outside the property, removing the cable pinned in the hallway and remedial work and also the removal of the router and remedial work. Your landlord was asked to provide us with the quote as evidence, but this was not provided. I can see that we requested return of a second fob when you returned keys as that is what our system advised, following liaising with you the issue with the fobs was resolved and no charge was ever put forward via DPS. I note you advise the agent grossly exaggerated costs, however, again please note the deductions were what your landlord requested and we are obliged to put forward. Regarding the timeline and how long the issue took to resolve please note when a deposit is disputed the timelines are set by the DPS not us.

Thank you, Kelly!

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We have reviewed your file in full and can confirm that all reported issues were addressed during your tenancy. The property was professionally cleaned, including a full carpet clean, prior to your move-in date. While there were some minor matters at the very start of your tenancy, these were attended to promptly. Throughout the tenancy, our routine inspections did not identify any concerns, and no issues were raised by you at these visits, during which at least one tenant was always present. At check-out, the property was unfortunately not returned in an acceptable condition. The independent report, shared with you on 5 November, highlights the cleaning required, including multiple comments regarding the overall cleanliness, marks and debris in kitchen cupboards and drawers, the condition of the oven, and the four black bin bags left in the garden, among other items. This report was provided to you before any proposed deductions were shared. Once the check-out report is received, it is issued to both tenants and the landlord. The landlord then confirms which deductions they wish to make. Please be assured that all deductions put forward were the landlord’s decisions and were based solely on the discrepancies between the move-in inventory and the check-out report. Your comment that we “tried to charge you for everything” does not reflect the process followed. The deductions align directly with the independent evidence provided. We remain open to discussing any landlord-proposed deductions with tenants, which is why the list of items was sent to you prior to any claim being submitted via the DPS portal.

Thanks Richard, having registered and viewed on the same day we more than accommodated your requests, the fact the owner accepted another offer is their choice, would appreciate further feedback to andy@jameslaurenceuk.com if we have missed something Edit: Dear Richard, The above response was provided 6 years ago. We have reviewed our records, and you have not been in touch with James Laurence to view since then, respectively or recently. From reviewing the above feedback from the Senior Branch Manager at the time, the response is correct. Should you wish to discuss anything further, please reach out to our Partner, Henry Crane - henry@jameslaurenceuk.com

We take all feedback seriously; however, we have no record of any tenancy or client matching this name. The details described do not correspond with any of our managed properties or service history, which raises concerns that this review may be malicious or inaccurate. Our team prides itself on transparency, responsive communication, and fair handling of all maintenance and deposit matters in accordance with the DPS (Deposit Protection Service) guidelines. We encourage the reviewer to contact our office directly at 0121 604 4060 so that we can verify their tenancy and address any genuine concerns appropriately.

We take all feedback seriously; however, we have no record of any tenancy or client matching this name. The details described do not correspond with any of our managed properties or service history, which raises concerns that this review may be malicious or inaccurate. Our team prides itself on transparency, responsive communication, and fair handling of all maintenance and deposit matters in accordance with the DPS (Deposit Protection Service) guidelines. We encourage the reviewer to contact our office directly at 0121 604 4060 so that we can verify their tenancy and address any genuine concerns appropriately.