CPS Homes Cardiff reviews

Hi Luke, We are sorry to read your review, but we do need to correct a number of points, as it does not accurately reflect either the tenancy history or the outcome of the independent deposit adjudication. The DPS did not agree that there was “no claim”. In reality, the adjudicator awarded the full deposit of £1,025 to CPS Homes in respect of rent arrears. The condition-related claims were not awarded because of the evidential requirements around the original check-in documentation, not because the adjudicator accepted the wider allegations made in your review. The DPS decision also recorded the total claim for damages as £1,053 plus the rent arrears, so not the £5,000+ figure you claim. We also do not recognise the suggestion that repairs were ignored for years or that tenants were simply “left without” essential facilities for significant periods. Maintenance issues can and do arise in properties, especially in older properties, particularly where there has been continuous occupation for nearly a decade, but reported issues were dealt with and progressed. As managing agents, we also have to liaise with the landlord, who owns the property and authorises expenditure. We fully believe we did this thoroughly and transparently, updating you and your housemates on our progress at every turn. Routine inspections were carried out in line with our management obligations. The allegation regarding an unlawful inspection has previously been dealt with, and our records show that more than 24 hours’ notice was issued. For clarity, the rent was £875 in 2016 and £1,100 by the final fixed term in 2024/25, inclusive of water rates. That is a 26% increase over nine years, and the final rent was below market norm for a three-bedroom property in Cardiff Bay. Rent levels were set by the landlord following market advice, and where negotiation was requested from your side, this was put back to the landlord. On at least one occasion, the landlord agreed to a lower increase following that negotiation. At no point did the rent go up by £150 from one year to the next, and there were many years where the rent didn’t go up at all from one year to the next. Finally, the decision to seek possession was the landlord’s, not CPS Homes’. We do not own the property and we do not make those decisions independently of the landlord. We understand you were disappointed that the tenancy came to an end, but it is not accurate to suggest CPS Homes were trying to force you out for our own reasons. A six-month possession notice was given as required by the law, and you were aware that this would be served several months earlier. You chose to leave before the possession notice expired, as is your right. We wish you all the best in the future, The CPS Homes Team.

Hi Janet, thank you so much for the wonderful and detailed review! We're so happy to hear you had such a positive experience with the whole sales team at CPS Homes. We truly appreciate your recommendation and are thrilled we could help you sell your home. Thanks again!

Thanks Mehedi!! We really appreciate your kind words. It’s great to hear the team made everything feel smooth and stress-free for you, as that’s exactly what we aim for.

Hi Jo, thank you so much for your kind review! It’s great to know you felt supported every step of the way, and we really appreciate your recommendation.

Hi Nadene, We are very sorry that the property was not presented in the clean condition the tenants were entitled to expect when they moved in. The landlord had confirmed to us that they would arrange the cleaning directly, and we have written correspondence confirming this was the case, but it is clear that this was either not carried out or was not completed to a reasonable standard. We fully understand why those arriving at the property were upset, and we are extremely disappointed that the commitment made to us was not fulfilled. As managing agent, we conducted a full check-out inspection after the previous tenants left, documenting the condition in which they had returned the property. The landlord then confirmed that they would arrange the necessary cleaning directly. Regrettably, it is clear that this was either not carried out or was not completed to a reasonable standard. We are extremely disappointed that the commitment made to us was not fulfilled and will be addressing this directly with the landlord. When the tenants reported the problem earlier today, we attempted to contact the landlord but could not reach them. Rather than allow the situation to continue, we took the decision to instruct our own cleaners, with the clean taking place on the same day the concerns were reported to us. Once CPS Homes became aware that the promised cleaning had not been completed, we could not reasonably have acted any quicker. It is also important to clarify that a substantial programme of work was arranged by CPS Homes between the previous tenants leaving and the new tenants moving in, after we sought and obtained the landlord’s authority. This included replacing blinds, repairs, redecoration across several bedrooms, bathroom works, kitchen ceiling treatment and a replacement mattress. Replacement glass for several blown windows has also been ordered and will be installed when it arrives. It would therefore be inaccurate to suggest that no action had been taken to prepare or improve the property, although we absolutely accept that the standard of cleaning fell below what it should have been. Regarding the reference to £800 per month for bills, utilities are not included within the rent and no utility payments are made to CPS Homes or the landlord. The tenants choose and pay their utility providers directly. Any concern about the amount billed will therefore need to be raised with the relevant provider, particularly as the charges may have been calculated using estimated rather than actual meter readings. We provide tenants with detailed moving-in information, including guidance on setting up accounts and checking utility readings, and our team will be happy to help them understand the process. We take the concerns raised seriously and remain in direct contact with the tenants to ensure the reported matters are properly followed through. We are meeting them at the property tomorrow to assess things further. Kind regards, The CPS Homes Team.

Thanks so much Leigh, we'll pass your kind words on to Sian :)

Hi Kei, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear you were disappointed with your experience. We have recently been trialling the use of AI on a very small number of listings, but only in limited circumstances and always with this clearly stated. For example, where a property is photographed unfurnished, we may show an AI-furnished image alongside the original photo to help viewers understand how the space could be used. We may also use it to remove an occupier’s personal item that will not form part of the letting. We want to be very clear that we do not use AI to enhance the condition of a room or property, nor to make rooms appear larger than they are. That would be misleading and counterproductive, as viewers will always see the property in person. It would also mean we field an irregular number of enquiries on a listing, which we’re keen to avoid, as it would be a waste of staff time. We have not been able to identify you, the property or appointment from the details in your review, but we would very much like to look into this properly. If a viewing was cancelled at short notice, or if a member of our team was unable to answer reasonable questions about white goods, furniture or council tax, that is something we would want to review internally. We have reached out to you via Trustpilot’s private messaging system. Alternatively, please email feedback@cpshomes.co.uk with the property address and viewing details, and we will investigate what happened. Thank you, The CPS Homes Team.

Brilliant - thanks Candice for taking to leave this lovely and thoughtful review! The marketing and right approach really can make all the difference. Congratulations again on your sale :)

Thanks so much, Femi! We’re glad Chelsea and Angela made the process feel easy and enjoyable for you, and we really appreciate the recommendations.

Hi Charlotte, We’re sorry to read your review, but there are some important points we need to clarify because the proposed deductions are not charges that CPS Homes has decided to impose. At the end of a tenancy, our role is to document the condition of the property through the check-out process and provide that information to both the landlord and contract-holders. In this case, the landlord elected to arrange the post-tenancy works himself and has subsequently told us what costs he wishes to claim from the deposit. CPS Homes does not decide which deductions a landlord should make, nor do we profit from any money deducted from a deposit. We act as the intermediary between the parties, communicating the landlord’s proposed claim to the contract-holders, inviting their comments and evidence, and helping both sides try to reach a fair agreement. The landlord’s proposed claim in this case is also considerably broader than a charge for cleaning or “dust”. Our records show that a number of concerns relating to the condition of the property, damage and contractor call-outs arose during the tenancy, with several associated charges communicated to the household at the time. Further matters were then identified by the landlord at the end of the tenancy. In relation to cleaning, arranging a professional cleaner before moving out does not automatically mean that no further cleaning can reasonably be claimed. The relevant comparison is between the condition of the property at the beginning and end of the tenancy, supported by the inventory, check-out report, photographs and any evidence provided by the contract-holders. Equally, the fact that a landlord proposes a cleaning deduction does not mean that the contract-holders have to accept it. You are fully entitled to challenge any part of the landlord’s proposed claim that you believe is unjustified, including providing evidence of the professional clean you arranged or evidence relating to any maintenance issue or contractor charge. We will consider that as part of the deposit discussions and continue to help both sides try to reach an agreed outcome. If agreement cannot be reached, either party can refer the dispute to the deposit protection scheme for free, independent adjudication. That independent process exists precisely for situations where a landlord and contract-holders disagree about responsibility or the amount being claimed. We appreciate that deposit discussions can be contentious, but describing CPS Homes as “scammers for students” does not fairly reflect our role here. We have not created the landlord’s claim or determined what should be deducted. Our role is to document the condition of the property, communicate the respective positions and help facilitate a fair resolution. Kind regards, The CPS Homes Team.

Dear Ben, We’re sorry to hear about your experience and the impact this has had on your time in the property. As the managing agent, our role is to act on behalf of the landlord by arranging inspections, obtaining specialist advice, and coordinating any works that are required. At each turn, we involve the landlord and seek their authorisation to proceed with the work that is being recommended to us. In this case, the concerns raised during the winter period were acted on promptly, with multiple inspections arranged, including visits from independent specialists such as Prokil and One Solution Wales, both of whom attended the property and provided written reports. For that reason, it’s inaccurate to suggest that there was no investigation or that the matter was not being addressed. Throughout the tenancy, we: • arranged repeated inspections and specialist involvement • provided guidance on heating and ventilation to help manage condensation and mould • supplied equipment, including a dehumidifier • liaised with the landlord to progress further remedial works Following the most recent assessments, additional works have been agreed and are scheduled to take place on 4th May. These types of issues can require a period of monitoring and drying out before the appropriate long-term solution can be implemented, which is why a staged approach has been taken. It’s also important to note that condensation and mould can be influenced by how a property is used. During visits, there was evidence that heating and ventilation were not being used as advised, which can significantly contribute to the conditions described, even where systems are in place and working. The dehumidifier and fan were required longer than was first imagined because the heating was not being used. We do appreciate how frustrating damp and mould can be to live with, and where issues arise, the focus is always on investigating and resolving them appropriately. In this case, that has involved ongoing inspections, independent specialist input, and further works now arranged. Additionally, we successfully agreed a rent rebate with the landlord on your behalf. We’re disappointed that this wasn’t raised through our formal complaints procedure at the time, as this would have allowed for a structured review and escalation if needed. Kind regards, The CPS Homes Team.

Thanks so much for leaving such a lovely review Jacob! We’re really glad Flo and Joanne could make things feel easy and stress-free, it makes all the difference when moving can feel a bit overwhelming. Hope you're settling in well! 😊 …

Dear Rachel, Thank you for your review. As this concerns an individual tenancy, we cannot properly comment on every aspect of it in a public forum. However, it is not correct to say that nothing was done. Additionally, public reviews do not provide the full chronology, and we will not set out private tenancy details or ongoing disputed matters on a public platform. When the issue was first reported, the information available indicated it was isolated to one flat. We remained involved throughout, including liaising with the tenant, raising matters with the landlord, suggesting a contractor, arranging works within the flat, arranging treatment to communal areas, cooperating with Environmental Health, and taking further steps as additional information came to light. We also agreed an early release from the fixed term, without an early termination fee. We take reports of this nature seriously and reject the suggestion that there was no urgency or no support provided. Kind regards, The CPS Homes Team.

Dear Michael, Thank you for your review. As this matter relates to a specific tenancy and remains disputed, it would not be appropriate for us to deal with all of the detail in public. Additionally, public reviews do not provide the full chronology, and we will not set out private tenancy details or ongoing disputed matters on a public platform. What we can say is that, when the issue was first reported, the information available indicated it was isolated to one flat, with no confirmed evidence at that stage of a wider building issue. We nonetheless remained involved throughout. This included corresponding with the tenant, discussing the matter with the landlord, recommending a contractor, arranging works to gaps reported within the flat, arranging treatment to communal areas, cooperating with Environmental Health, and later arranging wider investigation and treatment as further information became available. We also agreed an early release from the fixed term, without an early termination fee, to assist the tenant in bringing the tenancy to an end sooner. We do not accept the suggestion that we failed to engage with the matter or that we misled the tenant. Our actions were based on the information available at each stage, and we took further steps as that information developed. Kind regards, The CPS Homes Team.

Thank you so much Liam for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you had such a positive experience with Nikki, Jenna and our team - and it's fantastic to know that we were able to help you find the perfect place.

Hi Niran, Thank you for your review, and sorry if there's been any miscommunication or misunderstanding here. We don't understand what you mean, so we'd like to know more via feedback@cpshomes.co.uk. This will allow us to put things right. We look forward to hearing from you. Many thanks, The CPS Homes Team.

Hi Ilaria, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry you feel this way, but we don’t agree that you were misled. At the time you contacted us, the seller had already accepted an offer on the property and the sale was progressing through solicitors. We explained that the property was close to exchange, which was the position at that time. As an agent, we act on our client’s instructions and we must also respect the confidentiality of all parties involved in a sale. For that reason, we cannot discuss the details or progress of another buyer’s transaction publicly, or with someone who was not party to it. We therefore will not comment on what happened thereafter. We appreciate it is disappointing when a property you are interested in is no longer realistically available, but we do not accept that our team acted dishonestly. All the best, The CPS Homes Team.

Dear Michael, Thank you for your review. As this matter relates to a specific tenancy and remains disputed, it would not be appropriate for us to deal with all of the detail in public. Additionally, public reviews do not provide the full chronology, and we will not set out private tenancy details or ongoing disputed matters on a public platform. What we can say is that, when the issue was first reported, the information available indicated it was isolated to one flat, with no confirmed evidence at that stage of a wider building issue. We nonetheless remained involved throughout. This included corresponding with the tenant, discussing the matter with the landlord, recommending a contractor, arranging works to gaps reported within the flat, arranging treatment to communal areas, cooperating with Environmental Health, and later arranging wider investigation and treatment as further information became available. We also agreed an early release from the fixed term, without an early termination fee, to assist the tenant in bringing the tenancy to an end sooner. We do not accept the suggestion that we failed to engage with the matter or that we misled the tenant. Our actions were based on the information available at each stage, and we took further steps as that information developed. Kind regards, The CPS Homes Team.

Dear Leanne,Thank you for your review. We’re sorry that your experience with CPS Homes hasn’t been a positive one. We’ve reached out to you via Trustpilot’s private messaging platform in order to ascertain which property your soon rented through CPS Homes and when, so that we may look into your comments and respond in detail.Commenting more broadly until we get that information, we do carry out an inspection prior to each tenancy started and, if needed, instruct a local contractor to perform a clean. Cleaning standards are subjective, and cleaning contractors are not against reattending a property if incoming occupants believe further cleaning may be required. Had this been communicated, we or the landlord would have requested that the contractor visit again and act with your son’s direction.We await further information on the alleged dangerous sockets. In line with legislation, every property’s electrical installation is periodically inspected and tested, and in line with guidance, items such as sockets are inspected visually between tenancies. We take pride in conducting thorough inspections of our properties prior to each new tenancy. However, some issues may not be immediately apparent during an inspection, particularly if the property is unoccupied at the time. Certain maintenance issues only become evident once the property is in daily use. While we strive to identify and address potential issues proactively, we also rely on feedback from both previous tenants and new occupants to alert us to any concerns that may arise after move-in. We encourage contract-holders to reach out at any time with maintenance requests, and we are always here to address them promptly with their landlord.Finally, we feel it’s important to establish CPS Homes’ scope as a managing agent. We are the ‘middleman’, sitting between landlord and contract-holder(s). Our aim is to ensure both sides are adhering to their legal and contractual obligations. The landlord owns the property and holds the ‘purse strings’, so when maintenance or improvement requests are made to us, we pass them onto the landlord with our comments. If they instruct us not to proceed with something, whether that be correctly or incorrectly in accordance with their legal or contractual obligations, in our opinion, we must take their instruction. We will always communicate the landlord’s reasoning to contract-holders and again offer our comments.We look forward to working with you, your son and the landlord to resolve any outstanding issues you may have.Kind regards,The CPS Homes Team.

Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that Jess, Rhys, and Cameron provided you with excellent service and support throughout your letting experience...your recommendation means so much to us!