Stepping Stones Banbury reviews

Dear Albert. You rented two properties through us and left both in poor condition. We explained what the problems were well in advance of you leaving and gave you every opportunity to rectify the problems. We then had no option but to charge you for various repairs, all of which you agreed with. It is worth remembering that we act for the Landlord of the property, not you. We are employed by the owner of the property and we are not impartial. I am sorry that you were dissatisfied with our service but I have reviewed your files and we acted professionally and correctly throughout. I would suggest that if you wish to discuss this further then you contact me directly rather than this more public method. Ben Jones. Managing Director. Stepping Stones Letting Ltd

Thanks Olivia, much appreciated.

Hi Korom, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I am very proud of Stepping Stones and the reputation we’ve built over the years for delivering a professional, fair, and transparent service to both landlords and tenants. With that in mind, I am genuinely sorry to hear that you felt unhappy at the conclusion of your tenancy, particularly as everything had gone smoothly up until that point. We take all feedback seriously, and I want to reassure you that our processes for checkouts and dilapidations are carried out strictly in line with TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) guidelines, relevant case law, and recognised industry standards. Our aim is always to ensure that any charges are reasonable, justified, and completely transparent. Importantly, we do not profit from these charges in any way, they are simply to cover genuine costs incurred. Having personally reviewed the timeline and correspondence surrounding your checkout, I can confirm the following: The checkout inspection took place on 26th September. A cleaning charge was emailed to you on 2nd September, which you confirmed you were happy to accept. An additional cost was then communicated to you the following day, 3rd September, which was also within the TDS recommended timescales. Regarding the damp marking, this was identified as being caused by poor ventilation. As a gesture of fairness, the cost was initially proposed to be shared equally between yourself and the landlord. When you disputed this, we revisited the matter with the landlord, who ultimately agreed to cover 100% of the cost, meaning you were not charged for this item at all. I appreciate that these matters can sometimes be frustrating and difficult, especially when they occur at the end of what has otherwise been a positive tenancy. While we have always acted in what we believe to be a fair and professional manner, I completely understand that you may see things differently. If you would like to discuss this further, I would be more than happy to speak with you personally. Alternatively, you always have the option of raising a formal dispute through the TDS, who will independently review all evidence to ensure a fair resolution for both parties. We value all of our tenants and work hard to maintain the high standards that have made Stepping Stones a trusted, independent letting agent in the area. If, after further discussion, you feel comfortable updating your review to reflect our conversation and the full context, it would be very much appreciated. Kind regards, Ben Jones Director, Stepping Stones Letting Ltd