Every review we hold for the Birmingham office, from every platform, shown as written. First names only.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleStewart Oliver City Sales & Lettings is hands down the worst letting agency in Birmingham. They charged us the wrong amount and took payment immediately, despite the fact that no damage was caused at all, this happened on the first day. When challenged, they flat-out refused to admit their mistake or issue a refund.
The staff in the office are rude, dismissive, and completely resistant. They have zero respect for customers and make no effort to listen or resolve issues. Every interaction feels like they are trying to intimidate rather than help.
To make matters worse, they are letting commercial properties for residential use, which is extremely concerning and raises serious questions about the legality of their operations.
This agency is unprofessional, unethical, and careless. They cause unnecessary stress and clearly do not care about tenants at all. Avoid at all costs.
Rohit · 7 January 2026
Agent replied · 14 January 2026
This review is FAKE. We have no client of this name. We do not take payments from deposits. All deposits are correctly protected by the DPS and any deductions cannot be made until they are agreed. We do not have any commercial properties that we manage.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleWorst Agency in the UK. Do not sign anything with them. They are liers and have no regards for humanity. Flat was handed to me in inhumane condition (too long of a list)
They promissed to bring a cleaner, the cleaner never showed up. I WASHED and CLEANED the flat myself. 2 days after they come to do some works and leave the flat in inhumane conditions again as I was not in. They used and ruined my stuff. They do not care about anything other than scamming you and ruining your stuff.
After the above paragraph, I have now completed my 1 year contract, on the last day they purposely steal your deposit and ask to pay more ontop for damages that were already in the property but they refused to fix and record ALL OF THEM even after complaints and countless of emails. They criminally strategically plan to take your full deposit and more. Then they won't fix the property accordingly.
I even got ill from the mold they refused to address.
Really the worst agency you could encounter (0 stars). It is a Criminally ran family organisation.
Eventually justice will get them.
Ignore the reply they add on my review, liers, big liers
VI[NO]MU · 24 November 2023
Agent replied · 23 November 2024
Hi Nomu, The property was professionally cleaned however the cleaners missed 1 item (under sofa cushions) and hence returned to rectify, maintenance confirmed that they left the apartment clean and tidy and that they did not use the tenants cleaning products. Stewart oliver are well established and are professional with many years experience. Your deposit is protected by TDS by the landlord, deductions are proposed by him after reviewing the independent check in and check out inventory, we are not a family organisation.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleThis review is to share our experience renting with Stewart Oliver.
My partner and I decided to rent an apartment in June 2022. It was our first time renting, and of course, we had no experience with this type of rental. The apartment looked nice, but in reality, everything was covered up with tarpaulins. To begin with, the mattress was stained, the walls had holes, and there was dirt everywhere. Matt and Nici, but especially Matt, were completely unprofessional, rude, and didn't care about our lives, only about the money.
Among many other things, the worst incidents were a clogged toilet. We had to spend 10 hours bailing water from the bathtub to the kitchen, 10 straight hours without being able to rest because it wouldn't stop. We told Matt, and his response was that he would find a plumber and that he would come in the morning. Are you kidding me? This is an emergency and a danger to both us and the landlord's belongings. We called Severn Trent, the plumbers, but no one could help us since it was a private building and therefore plumbers don't work there. I had no choice but to bail out freezing cold water from 8:10 PM until 5:30 AM, hungry, freezing, and bleeding because I had cut myself. Then the toilet wouldn't work because every time we flushed, water and human feces came out. We had to use bags, like animals. Nothing was fixed until a month later, during which we lived with the feces of all the occupants in our bathroom (you can see the photos) and had to remove it with our own hands, since apparently it was our fault, that we had blocked the toilet… He wouldn't listen to reason, and even wanted us to pay to clean the pipe that connects to other apartments, when that's the landlord's problem! Matt hired professionals to clean the pipe, since it was FULL; I'm sure it had never been cleaned before, until it reached a point where it was completely full and couldn't be drained anymore.
The next problem was dampness, dampness everywhere, even in our clothes, shoes, etc. We lost a lot of belongings, and when we told Matt, his response was: "It's because you don't ventilate or heat the apartment." Excuse me, but that amount of dampness isn't from NOT OPENING OR HEATING THE APARTMENT; it's a general problem, as all the apartments had dampness (I'll post photos, and you can judge for yourselves).
We had a rat problem in our kitchen, and surprise! We had to pay for that too, even though the holes were already there before we moved in.
The fire alarm also went off all night and didn't turn off until the next day when Matt came, as he was out of Birmingham. "Unfortunately, these things happen. Both the landlord and I are out of Birmingham today." We had to sleep with that alarm blaring in our ears all night, which was an extreme safety issue because if there had been a real fire, we wouldn't have noticed. Firefighters and police were called to try to turn off the alarm, but they couldn't because they needed the key to open the panel, which Matt obviously had.
And many other things that I could spend 5 hours writing about.
Finally, as soon as our contract ended, we decided to leave, and two weeks after moving out (when it's a maximum of 10 days), they sent us a list of the damages we had supposedly caused to the apartment. All the damage was already there before we moved in and was shown at check-in. After two years of fighting and trying to reason with the landlord (Mahmood Bhogadia), we were left without our deposit. We decided to take legal action, and in September 2024, we were finally able to speak with the landlord, as we never could before since we didn't have any personal phone numbers or email addresses. We were going to go to court, but the landlord saw that he wasn't going to win and decided to drop the case. I would love to keep writing, but I've reached my limit. But, never rent from them, and if you do, take photos and videos so you have proof! And Matt, don't worry about replying, because I'll make sure to block your agency from my phone so I never see it again.
Dillan · 2 May 2025
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleWorst Agency in the UK. Do not sign anything with them. They are liers and have no regards for humanity. Flat was handed to me in inhumane condition (too long of a list)
They promissed to bring a cleaner, the cleaner never showed up. I WASHED and CLEANED the flat myself. 2 days after they come to do some works and leave the flat in inhumane conditions again as I was not in. They used and ruined my stuff. They do not care about anything other than scamming you and ruining your stuff.
After the above paragraph, I have now completed my 1 year contract, on the last day they purposely steal your deposit and ask to pay more ontop for damages that were already in the property but they refused to fix and record ALL OF THEM even after complaints and countless of emails. They criminally strategically plan to take your full deposit and more. Then they won't fix the property accordingly.
I even got ill from the mold they refused to address.
Really the worst agency you could encounter (0 stars). It is a Criminally ran family organisation.
Eventually justice will get them.
Ignore the reply they add on my review, liers, big liers
VINOMU · 13 September 2023
Agent replied · 11 June 2024
Hi Nomu, The property was professionally cleaned however the cleaners missed 1 item (under sofa cushions) and hence returned to rectify, maintenance confirmed that they left the apartment clean and tidy and that they did not use the tenants cleaning products. Stewart oliver are well established and are professional with many years experience. Your deposit is protected by TDS by the landlord, deductions are proposed by him after reviewing the independent check in and check out inventory, we are not a family organisation.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleI stayed in a Masshouse property managed by Stewart Oliver for one year from 2021-2022 and honestly they were the worst letting agents I have ever rented from. I would give zero stars if I could. DO NOT rent a property for Stewart Oliver.
When I viewed the apartment it was filthy but I was told it would be cleaned, as one would expect, however, when I moved in the apartment was in a horrible state. The oven was filthy and grimy, the fridge freezer was full of ice, dirt, and rubbish, the walls were marked throughout the apartment (including disgusting chinchilla urine stains on the living room wall from the previous tenants), many of the light fittings were not functional or hanging loose (including the light directly above the shower!!), and the floor underneath furniture hadn't even been vacuumed. It clearly wasn't given a deep clean as I was told.
Additionally, many other problems were present when I moved in. The handyman came over to fix some things a couple days in and we moved the bedframe in the bedroom and it collapsed, meaning a new bedframe had to be ordered in and I couldn't even sleep in the apartment I was paying for until it arrived. There was also a leak under the sink and a hole in the wall from where a shelf had been ripped out (which I was told at the viewing would be fixed).
I spent the first week at that apartment giving it a deep clean and even freshly repainting the walls! To which they responded at the end of my tenancy by claiming the apartment wasn't clean and the walls were scuffed! Absolutely ridiculous! They wanted to keep money from my deposit over issues which were present the day I moved in! Fortunately, I filed a dispute with the DPS and won the entire deposit back. Absolutely take a million pictures if you stay with Stewart Oliver because you will need all the proof to fight them at the end of your tenancy.
Adam · 13 September 2023
Agent replied · 9 June 2024
Dear Adam, the property was professionally cleaned before you moved in but unfortunately the cleaners missed a couple of minor items and returned promptly to clean them. Cleaners do not move furniture items to clean under. The maintenance issues were resolved. The only proposed deduction was for a light clean at £100, there was no proposed deduction for scuffed walls. As you know there was an independent check in inventory when you moved in and an independent check out inventory when you moved out, the inventory clerk proposed the light clean on comparison to the check in inventory. The DPS arbitration did not take account of the cleaners returning at the start and that is why they did not allow the deposit deduction in this instance. New tenants are always advised that they have 7 days to check the independent inventory and are always welcome to email their own pictures in the first 7 days that we add to the inventory to minimise disputes.
★★★★★ 5/5
GoogleMany thanks to Matt for sorting out a big problem for me with Birmingham City Council. Without hesitation (despite not having let a property for me in 8 years) he offered his time to go back through the archives for an old contract. When my …
Anita · 16 April 2025
Agent replied · 16 April 2026
Thank you
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleStewart Oliver have unreasonable costs with regards to paying late, even by one day. I have rented with other letting agents and they do not have such exorbitant fees. Generally, the other letting agents are much more understanding.
They also charge a lot for simple repairs. I have spoken to the maintenance person and he himself was surprised at the cost of £60 being charged when he himself has not spent that much to make the repairs or traveling.
They tend to use flowery language for the maintenance person as 'the engineer' to make it sound the charge out rate is indeed high.
As with most of the other reviews, it is self evident that this letting agent is a rip off, perhaps one of the worst reviewed agency in the UK. HAHA!! :D
It is good they are being found out now. I wonder how their conscious and self esteem allow them to continue running such a bad business with ripping off people. There is no performance improvement plan in place to ameliorate the service as the bad reviews are over several years now.
Stay away from this agency. Along with the greedy and unscrupulous landlord at Mayfair House, they form the combo of worst ever service provider, which will make even satan appear like a saint.
Abd · 12 June 2023
Agent replied · 11 June 2024
We have no record of your tenancy at Mayfair House. Rent is due on your rent payment date, however we are unable to charge late fees due to the tenant fee ban. If a tenant has damaged something during the tenancy they can arrange their own maintenance as they wish. We do not charge fees for repairs, any recommended contractor will charge the tenant directly. We do not rip anyone off and comply with all regulations.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleShambolic experience with these two, not only do they not have a clue whats going on but they're also thieves! Trying to take over 60% of mine and my partners deposit after it was left spotless. If I could give 0 stars I would. Steer clear if you value your sanity. Flat was dirty on move in, hadn't been cleaned like we were told and problems were never attended to even when we contacted them to resolve these issues. Now we're being charged for them after reporting them over 7/8 months ago. Honestly laughable.
Callum · 10 June 2023
Agent replied · 9 June 2024
Hi Callum, as you are aware your deposit is held by and protected by the DPS. The property was professionally cleaned before you moved in as evidenced by the independent check in report that you accepted. End of tenancy cleanliness is determined by the qualified independent inventory company. Problems are always discussed and attended to where they are Landlord responsibility. Any tenant damage is chargeable.
★★★★★ 2/5
GoogleI made a recent inquiry about the property I was interested in viewing, but unfortunately, the response from Nici was brief and reluctant. It made me feel they don't want to find tenants for the rental properties. I have made a simple inquiry, in the advertised ad, there was no mention of the average energy consumption of the property or a rough estimate on the bills. This would be valuable information for a piece of mind and for comparison to other properties alike. Not to mention the response was abrupt, as Nici didn't want to interact with me to arrange the viewing, or at least come across as a pleasant Estate Agent who enjoys their profession. In this day and economy, it is important what the costumer and consumer wants and needs, and their queries should be full filled without making them feel as if they have no say or value. And regarding the rating makes me wonder when Agency will start to take notes and adjust poor performance as a whole. And this is the reason I have decided not to pursue further searches of properties through them.NegativeProfessionalism
Vicky · 12 June 2022
Agent replied · 11 June 2024
Dear Tori, I am the other Director at Stewart Oliver Property, I am sorry that you felt that our initial response was brief and reluctant it was not intended to be. Your query was the cost of the utility bills and our initial reply was the date that the property is available and the minimum tenancy and that utility bills are not included and that it was impossible to give you an estimate of the utility bills. We further replied with the Energy Performance Rating but this does not provide a monthly average energy consumption. We cannot provide a rough estimate of bills as each tenants circumstances and usage are different. You thanked us for clarification so we are unsure why you felt the need to leave this review. We are however always happy to provide EPC ratings and council tax bands etc for your own calculations. A viewing was never booked as you were not happy with our response regarding the bills. We both really do enjoy our profession and have many satisfied Landlords and tenants and have combined experience of over 40 years. We always provide as much help and information to prospective (and existing) tenants as possible.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleI write in Chinese just to hope that the Chinese people in Birmingham will no longer be bullied by this real estate agent. This real estate agent is notoriously notorious. When we went to see the house, we were only allowed 15 minutes to read it. Many things were skimmed over in a hurry and there was no time to go into details. Look, they asked us to leave without even turning on the lights. If you are an international student, you are required to pay one year's rent and two months' deposit before you can move in. After you pay the money, although there is a one-week maintenance feedback after you move in, if you have passed the feedback period, you will not be ignored if you ask for repairs, and it may be said that you broke it privately. During the feedback period, repairs will be requested three times and four times. Some people reported that the light bulb would not light up after they were installed, but later found out that the circuit system was broken. The real estate agent would say that it was you who broke it.
During the rental period, I discovered that the bed could not be turned over when I almost slept on it. The bed frame was almost broken and I felt that the bed was about to collapse at any time. The landlord took a long time to find someone to hammer in two nails (not replace them with new ones). This was impossible during the visit. I went to try out a mattress, and it almost felt like I was lying on a spring when I slept. It took me two months to replace it with a very low-quality, cheap mattress. If you didn't ask a cleaning company to make a report when you checked out, you would be out of luck. If the carpet was dirty before moving in, you would be told that it was you who made it dirty and you would be asked to pay a huge amount of compensation. Almost 2/3 of the deposit will be deducted for a few unreasonable items. Many Chinese students have already returned to their country when their deposits are refunded, and they cannot appeal at all. Although the money is stored in a third party, as long as the other party does not agree, the money cannot be obtained at all. Fangzhong knows the taste of food, and has taken advantage of the disadvantaged part of international students, and it is a good name for rent 12 You have to pay monthly for 14 months and get very little deposit back. Please think twice about renting with them. I don’t recommend them at all. They only survive because the landlord loves their poor service to their tenants! Oh, by the way, if you say something that they don’t like to hear and they don’t want to discuss and communicate with you, they will suddenly speak English very quickly and cannot understand you. They want to force you back and make you think that your English is too poor. I can't help you~
Additional note:
The landlord's reply triggered my memory, and it was even more outrageous about the washing machine leakage incident. When we rented, I don’t know why they put a wooden board under the drum washing machine, so when the washing machine was dehydrating, it shook for a long time and the water pipe came loose. It happened to be Christmas at that time, and I went abroad for vacation. When I came back, I immediately reported the wooden floor. The landlord said that we delayed the notification. Are you saying hello?
I originally thought that we only needed to replace the damaged part of the wooden floor, but the landlord asked us to replace the entire rented wooden floor. The price of 900 pounds was the manufacturer's quotation. Why did we say we were lying when it was written in black and white? What's more, you can find many estimates for the estimate. Afterwards, I checked my nose and agreed to replace the entire wooden floor. Is there a limit to how much it will cost? I also paid for it! The carpenter who came to repair opened the original old floor and found that it was a pseudo-wooden paper floor (the cheapest version). The paper floor will rot when exposed to water. It is obvious to us that the wood under the washing machine is the culprit. It was there before we moved in. Let’s look at the photos and see if it makes sense. It’s not necessarily a premeditated plan for us to replace the entire wooden floor!
You said that international students do not have a guarantor. I think it is reasonable to charge a five-week deposit, but is it reasonable for you to charge 14 months at a time? I have more evidence to show that you discriminate against Chinese people and love Chinese people's money. You put it on the DPS third-party platform and shamelessly set the deposit refunder as the real estate agent. If I hadn't paid a lawyer to send a deposit certificate letter, The landlord would never return my money to me. He is a wise man and does not recommend leasing at all!NegativeQuality, Value
Shuan · 24 November 2021
Agent replied · 11 June 2024
I have translated your comment and checked our records and see that you were the tenant who moved out in 2017. All deposits are DPS protected, and we use separate inventory checkout and check-in methods to recommend deductions for deposit losses.
In your case, the washing machine had a serious leak that you did not report to us. Therefore, the laminate flooring was severely damaged due to your failure to report the leak. As part of the negotiation for the deposit, you made a false offer of £230 (which Floors confirmed was what you said was payment to the landlord) instead of the actual offer of £900.
Prospective tenants have plenty of time to make sure the property is suitable for them, they also have seven days to check an independent inventory list.
If an international student does not have a UK guarantor, rent will need to be paid in advance. According to regulations, the deposit is set at 5 weeks' rent. Repairs will be carried out throughout the rental period as long as they are reported to us. Tenants should be compensated for damages. Light bulbs are tenants responsibility to replace when blown.
All properties are professionally cleaned before tenants move in. End of tenant cleaning is the tenant's responsibility.
Deposits can be arbitrated anywhere in the world and deposits are retained by DPS until deduction is agreed or arbitrated. We do everything we can to assist international students, always understanding that they are away from home and need as much help as possible. We also ensure that all information is communicated clearly at all times.
I have translated your review, and checked our records and see that you were a tenant who vacated in 2017. All deposits are protected by the DPS and we use independent inventory check outs and check ins to propose deposit damage deductions.
In your case there was a serious leak from the washing machine that you did not report to us. Therefore as a result of you failing to report the leak the laminate flooring was badly damaged. As part of the deposit negotiations you provided a fraudulent quote of £230 (confirmed by Floors to go that you stated was to CON the Landlord) as opposed to the actual quote of £900.
Prospective tenants have as much time as they need to ensure that the property is suitable for them, they also have 7 days to check the independent check in inventory.
Rent in advance is required if international students do not have UK Guarantors. Deposits are set at 5 weeks rent as per the regulations. Repairs are carried out throughout the tenancy as long as they are reported to us. Tenant damage is chargeable. Light bulbs are tenant responsibility to change when they blow.
All properties are professionally cleaned before a tenant moves in. End of tenancy cleaning is the tenants responsibility.
Deposits can be arbitrated from anywhere in the world and deposits remain held by DPS until deductions are agreed or arbitrated. We go out of way to help international students and are always understanding they are away from home and need as much help as necessary. We also ensure that everything is communicated clearly at all times.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleI deleted my old review under the false pretences that the agency was going to urge the landlord to fix the problem however it is not the case as they like to defend the way the landlord cuts corners. They are nice until you sign the contract and pay the deposit and rent. However as soon as that's done they don't care about whether their tenants as happy or not.
When they say furnish apartments take it with a grain of salt as the quality of the furniture is poor and when you ask them to tell the landlord to replace or remove the item the answer it no. DO NOT RENT FORM THESES GUY PLEASE BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU THAT. I've re written this review to warn people as I don't want you to make the same mistake as me.
Honestly, if you rent from these guy you are making a mistake. You are even unfortunate to have heard of them. If you do decide to rent from them for some reason. Take a good look at everything as though you are looking with a magnifying glass and do not sign or send them anything until any problems are fixed. Don't veiw any of there properties while they are being lived in because you are unable to see the bigger picture and any problems you find that you want dealing with their answer is that fixing the problem wasn't agreed upon when view. This company just doesn't care no matter how much they try and make out that they do.
This is a valuable lesson learnt for me as this company has showed me how not to treat people and have taught me to be extra careful. I will be warning people to stare well away from this letting agency and their property. I bet most of their contract only last the year with people looking forward to seeing the end of it.
This is my warning to you to stay away from them!!!! Take it form someone who is living in an apartment managed by them.
UPDATE: 3 months in and repairs still haven't been done.
UPDATE: END OF TENANCY.
This is one of the worst company to rent with especially if you are renting mayfair House. The meters are locked away. Therefore, when you leave you cannot switch or close you're accounts using the meter reading. You are lied to. I have requested meter readings a month leading up to the end of tenancy. And was told we would get it on check out. We did not. And was constantly lied to.
AVOID THIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS!!!!
Shafiqah · 12 June 2021
Agent replied · 11 June 2024
End of Tenancy Reply:
The meter room is locked for health and safety reasons. Tenants in apartment blocks do not have access to their electric meters. We have never LIED to you. We informed you that the final meter readings would be taken on your last day. We have never informed you that you would be provided with these on your last day. The reason for this is that they are included within the independent check out report that will be sent to you with proposed deposit deductions when we receive it from the Inventory Co. You have not been constantly lied to.
As you are now aware, we are the agent and as such we cannot replace furniture if the Landlord has not agreed to do so. We have asked the Landlord again but he has declined. You viewed the property and decided to take it on the basis that 3 items would be fixed. 1. the kitchen plinth, 2. the living room door, 3 the bathroom boxing in, The Landlord has agreed to do this work and has instructed his own maintenance. The apartment that you chose is approximately 20 years old and as such does have wear and tear, however this is also reflected in the rent of £650pcm for a large 1 Bedroom apartment. We care greatly about our tenants and will do everything in our power to ensure that they have a pleasant experience and have many happy tenants. All wear and tear items are noted on tenants inventory and as such are not chargeable from the deposit
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleA friend of mine had a book of photographs detailing every room & any faults. No faults were fixed during his tenancy & at the end he had money deducted due to faults being found in the inspection. The same faults that stewart oliver said were there before he moved in. Absolute sham. Avoid them.
Craig · 28 October 2025
Agent replied · 27 December 2025
Hi Craig, as you are not a tenant of Stewart Oliver you will not know our procedure. Deposits are held by DPS and each property has an independent check in and check out inventory and any deposit deductions proposed at the end, tenants are never proposed deductions for pre-existing wear and tear and any proposals can be arbitrated via DPS
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleI'm so happy that my contract with them finished. I wish I had seen their reviews before renting from them. Even 1 star is so much for them. DO NOT RENT FROM THEM.
First of all, the apartment which they believe is fully furnished (or well-furnished as they usually write in websites), is a complete lie. Our flat was partially furnished by old, dirty, damaged and very poor quality furnitures. If you call them for any issue in this regard, this will be the answer: "try not to fix it yourself", and they will not fix it either. This is their rule, you have to live in a bad condition.
Second, they deduct most of your deposit for nothing, for issues that exist at first, and they are not going to negotiate at all. Here is they answer: " As you do not agree to the deductions please arbitrate via the TDS".
It's funny that they even wanted to deduct for issues that you mentioned at first!!! I think it is because many international students do not dispute via TDS, so they keep the deposit!!!
So if you rent a flat from them TAKE A PICTURE OF EVERY SINGLE TINY TINY PROBLEM. Then you will have an evidence at the end of contract, when using the TDS dispute service. This TDS will be helpful as it was for us.
Third, they never answer you properly, Nici is a rude person that whenever you call their office to ask a question she start shouting and fighting. Matthew, just pick up the phone and doesn't matter what you say his answer is, NO. So, you can't expect any help or guide from them.
Be aware that you have to expect that landlord has the right to open the door and come in because "he is the landlord!!!". And if you speak about it with agency, they would definitely say that the problem is with your ears that you didn't hear the knocking.
Finally, I should say that last year year that I lived in that flat was the worst experience in my life. DO NOT RENT FROM THEM.
Sima · 12 June 2020
Agent replied · 11 June 2024
Dear Sima, You took the property as viewed, you were fully aware of the level of furnishings and the condition of the property and that was reflected in the low rental price. We use independent check in and check out reports including detailed photos and propose fair deductions only for cleaning or tenant damage caused during your tenancy. As you did not agree to ANY of the proposed deductions we advised you to arbitrate via the TDS as your deposit was protected by them. You left the flat dirty and you damaged the following: paintwork, door closer, bulbs, door handle, worktop, front door lock, wardrobe hinge, oven gasket and mattress protector. If you had left the property clean and had not damaged anything then you will have received your full deposit back. Both myself and Nici are professional and also went beyond our duty to help you with many items when you moved in and also obtained meter readings for you on a regular basis. The Landlord or ourselves will never enter a property without the tenants permission.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleThis agency is a complete HOAX. They are not at all professional in their dealings. They speak to you very politely in the beginning of the deal and promise everything but once you are in, they ll show you their true colours. We were given a property with pharaoh ants, broken fridge, freezer, hob and completely uncleaned. After lot of pestering, they did not get everything fixed. They do not even get maintenance work done while they charge the maintenance fee form the landlord. They are just a money making agency. They harass the tenants relentlessly. LANDLORDS please be AWARE!!! They do not maintain your properties. They just make money by some sweet words. We have complained about their service to THE PROPERTY OMBUDSMAN but they are still not bothered. I would request to all Landlords to be vary of this FRAUDSTER AGENCY!!! They have no complaints procedure in place. All the employees are completely unprofessional and unethical.
Best is that all the google reviews say the same thing about them and they have said that these people were not the tenant. Like imagine the heights of lie. How can 24 people review and all be bad. Please stay away from this agency, they will use all possible methods to scare you all the time and enter the apartment by using management keys.
Response to the reply
I know that they will post another incorrect information here.. Please do not trust this Agency. They are deceptive and unethical.
Google is an open forum to put in our views for other to see your reviews and our suggestions. CAN WE DO THAT? Your agency excels in lies. The answer given by the agency in response is a complete lie again. We have never said NO to get the stained carpet fixed. Instead we asked you to replace it after 6 weeks due to our unavailability. (this is just 1 example of your lies) (please share any evidences of us saying NO) You have threatened us to enter the property using your maintenance keys while we are away and remove our stuff in our absence. (24 hr notice doesn't mean that you can do whatever you feel like in the property including removing our stuff) While our complaint is being dealt i am not expecting you to answer me here. I want to tell everyone out there not to deal with a HOAX like yours!! Also can you explain how have we not adhered to our tenancy agreement? Well i dun have to say much. Previous comments can show what you are. I know you have lot of time to lie..
Neha · 13 June 2018
Agent replied · 11 June 2024
Dear Neha,
Please allow me to clarify that you have an official ongoing complaint against stewart oliver, we do have a complaints procedure and you have a copy of it. We do manage the property however are unable to spend the Landlords funds without their permission. I am not sure what you are referring to by maintenance fee, as we do not charge a maintenance fee? We NEVER enter any property without first giving the tenants at least 24hr written notice as that would be illegal. Thank you for mentioning that we got everything fixed after we had authority from the Landlord (apart from things that you would not allow us to fix, such as the stained carpet, this will be done as soon as you vacate) also we do not Harrass tenants relentlessly as there is no reason for us to do so unless they are not adhering to the tenancy agreement.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleExtremely dishonest agency run by 2 people only at their own whims. No professional processes, no rules and no integrity. There is only one rule that lick the shoes of landlords and tenants are commodity. They will not maintain anything in apartment, will ask you to pay for every small thing which they should be providing (even a strainer), and will forfeit all your deposit no matter what. I wasted half of the year wasting time arguing with them for very petty issues. Which other professional agencies will solve immediately without even bother asking second time. I dealt with 3 other agencies in last 5 years all of them were great, but these guys are horrible. These guys have lot of stamina, time and patience to argue with tenants rather than investing time in business. This is their earning model. Give cheap deals and then Steal the deposits of Tenant to lick landlords. Very short term strategy because they are getting exposed.Just don't even go closer to them if you really want unstressful and quite dwelling. NO NO NO... big NO
Abhinav · 13 June 2018
Agent replied · 11 June 2024
Dear Abhinav, Your wife has already given us a bad review. As you know full well we are regulated by The Property Ombudsman and you have an open case against us. The damage you caused to the property was more than your deposit. It is not fair for tenants to damage properties and not expect to have deposit deductions. Many tenants have there full deposits back as they leave properties in the condition they found them. I think you and your wife are confused about the role of the letting agent, we do not maintain properties without the authority of the Landlords for wear and tear items and cannot instruct works until we have the go ahead from the Landlord. We do not give cheap deals and certainly do not steal tenants deposits, deposits are held securely by the DPS and any proposed deductions can be arbitrated by them.
★★★★★ 4/5
GoogleMy experience with Stewart and Oliver has been truly exceptional, and I'm delighted to highlight the outstanding support I received from Mat and Nicola. Mat went above and beyond in addressing my queries, demonstrating a profound …
Rajat · 16 April 2024
Agent replied · 16 April 2026
Thank you
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleI lived in 224 centenary plaza . Really bad experience with agency . If you don’t want refund your deposit, happy to live without services and old appliances which consume too much electricity then go with this agency.
Kanhaiya · 29 September 2025
Agent replied · 27 December 2025
Hi Kanhaiya, you vacated over a year ago. deposits are held by DPS until proposed deductions are agreed. If you had left the property in the condition you took it, then your full deposit would have been returned promptly. You were provided with a current energy performance certificate before you moved into the property and the appliances are not provided by Stewart Oliver.
★★★★★ 3/5
GoogleViewed properties with this company but I wouldn’t recommend since they seem to just be group viewings in an attempt to ramp up the pressure and competition. Generally made for a very unpleasant experience but the other aspects of the company I interacted with had no faults.
Alex · 12 June 2022
Agent replied · 11 June 2024
Hi Alex, unfortunately both properties you viewed were very popular due to the time of the year and hence required block viewings, we agree that block viewings are not ideal and we try wherever possible to carry out individual viewings
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleTHEY ARE THE WORST AGENCY YOU CAN USE! MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT TO THE PROPERTY OMBUDSMAN!
For everyone who had a bad experience with them, just leaving a review is not enough; request their complaint procedure and follow it until your complaint is resolved by them, though I highly doubt their willingness to do so. If they don’t help, then, you can make a complaint directly to The Property Ombudsman Service (TPOS). You can follow the complaint procedure even if your tenancy ended, but you want to complaint to the Property Ombudsman about how they haven’t had a proper check in inventory at the property (if you have pictures with disrepair).
By complaining to the Property Ombudsman, not only may you receive financial compensation for the agency's wrongdoing, but more importantly, Stewart Oliver will be forced to pay compensation and increased fees to TPO to cover their investigation expenses, if they have received more than three complaints.
We were compelled to terminate our tenancy early due to our unbearable experiences with this horrible agency, especially with Nici Oliver. We had everything from a dirty apartment that required days of cleaning on our part, disrepair that’s never been dealt with, unexplained increased electricity consumption, our deposit not being returned with the landlord claiming damage that was already in the property, and even having to sort these issues in court as DPS arbitration was refused.
Not only that Stewart Oliver is the worst and most disgusting agency, but they also have no shame and no ethics in dealing with dodgy landlords.
While I could write all the details of our disastrous tenancy, I am sure that Stewart Oliver’s response will be just an excuse, far removed from the truth.
It is funny how, in response to reviews where tenants mention unclean flats (accompanied by photographic evidence) and withheld deposits, Stewart Oliver provides the same scripted reply. They claim that the cleaners missed that particular item (like someone would really complaint about only one item) and that TDS will deal with the deposit.
For anyone planning to move in (Although it’s better if you never use this agency) please ensure that EVERYTHING agreed upon, and I mean every single detail, no matter how small, is documented in writing (via email) throughout the tenancy. Amend the check-in inventory as needed, capture photographic evidence, and promptly email all of it to Stewart Oliver as your evidence.
WORST AGENCY EVER!
Ionut · 13 October 2023
Agent replied · 9 June 2024
Hi Ionut, we have no ‘scripted’ reply, as you know we are the agent and your grievance was predominantly with the Landlord that was via the courts. You made a complaint via the ombudsman that was outside their 12 month timeframe and as such we did not agree and did not respond to them, we have since ceased using TPO.
Whilst we do instruct independent inventories on behalf of the landlord there is no legal requirement to do so. In your case the deposit was protected by the Landlord via the TDS. The majority of our deposits are held by and protested by DPS and any arbitration is via them. We advise all tenants to check the independent inventories and report anything to us within the 1st 7 days to avoid any arbitration.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleNici and Matt will be very nice to you until you move in. They do not respond on time for fixing issues. Our bathroom door was broken for weeks without being fixed, washing machine also took weeks to be fixed, ripped couches and broken beds …
Spandana · 16 April 2025
Agent replied · 9 January 2025
Hi Spandana, thank you for the review. We always respond promptly and professionally. You accepted the condition of the property when you moved in, the Landlord does not have to replace beds or sofas. There was no issue with the operation … More
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleI stayed at a property I got through Stewart Oliver for 3 years, was never late in paying the rent, and returned the property in a completely clean state, still had the worst experience with them.
Worst Letting agents throughout the entire Birmingham, the do not return back the deposit amount no matter how much ever clean or repaired the house is when you return it back after the agreement ends by giving stupid and baseless reasons, also the lady, Nici Oliver is really really rude whenever you contact her during the stay at the property and also they take days to reply even if you're stuck in grave problem and need an urgent solution.
Its been almost a year since I've left the property, but still haven't recieved my Deposit back.
They don't even deserve 1 star.
Harshil · 15 July 2023
Agent replied · 11 June 2024
Dear Harshil, thank you for the review, however you know the reasons that your deposit is still with DPS, as you were a very bad tenant that damaged the property not least by introducing a major bug infestation that needed new furnishings, carpets and professional pest control. Despite numerous written warnings from us and the building manager you continued to throw your full rubbish bags from the 6th floor window onto the public street below . We would never rent to you again or give you a reference. I hope you treat your next property better.
★★★★★ 4/5
GoogleHad a lovely experience working with Stewart Oliver . Deposit was returned with a bit of a delay, not due to their fault rather the new tenant's. Polite through you the letting process. Was charged for a few things when moving out that were not foreseeable, but they were small costing a few pounds. Would recommend
Z · 13 June 2019
Agent replied · 11 June 2024
Thank you for the review
★★★★★ 5/5
GoogleRented a 2BR unfurnished property through Stewart Oliver for 1yr in Birmingham. Every dealing we had with Matt & Nici was spot on, no issues there. If something needed fixing, it got fixed. Sometimes things were slow to be fixed but that's because they had to go through the landlord to get permission - once that was sorted they got their contractor out to sort the problem.
All issues around the deposit were sorted amicably and quickly and we got the majority of it back bar the cost of replacing a couple of light bulbs which we hadn't noticed had blown late on.
We had read all of the reviews beforehand and they can be off putting. Don't be. Most of the reviews online seem to be either fake, or people who have active disputes with Stewart Oliver through the DPS. It would be interesting to see how many of these people actually win their disputes. Probably not many.
If you make sure you check your inventory on move in, send it to the agent within 7 days, and don't hesitate to query anything that looks different on the inventory to what you see, then you won't have a problem. If you understand that 95% of the time the issue you have is related to your landlord, and an estate agent can't change a landlord's mind, then you won't have a problem.
I would recommend this estate agent to people I know.PositiveResponsiveness, Professionalism
Adam · 12 June 2021
★★★★★ 1/5
Googlehad a very disappointing experience with this agency. After not receiving a response to my email about a property, I called to follow up and apologized for being late to a previous appointment. Despite my apology, I was met with rudeness. …
Chitra · 16 April 2025
Agent replied · 23 October 2024
Hi Chitra, as you know you have failed to attend numerous booked viewings, you apologised and then proceeded to miss the next appointment again! this not only wastes our time, but also existing tenants time, as well as blocking other … More
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