Beresfords Chelmsford reviews

Hi Osasu Thank you for taking the time to leave your review. The lettings team in Chelmsford, but especially Thomas will be very grateful for your kind words and 5-star rating. Steven Bond Managing Director - Residential Lettings

Hi Linda, Thank you for posting your review, it was pleasing to read that you have found Thomas and the team in Chelmsford to be helpful during your dealings with us. I know they will all be very grateful for your kind words and 5-star rating. Steven Bond Managing Director - Residential Lettings

Hi MustafaThanks so much for taking time out to provide us with your feedback following your recent dealings with Hannah. I am pleased that everything was explained clearly and that the related process was straight forward. We all very much appreciate your kind words.Steven BondManaging Director - Residential Lettings

Hi Mr Wilson Many thanks for taking the time to post your review. Naturally I was disappointed to read your comments and I wanted to take this opportunity to reply personally. I understand fully your frustrations regarding the time taken to return your deposit and unfortunately this is not uncommon but is generally not a reflection on the agents themselves for the following reasons. Prior to any deposit being returned to tenants at the end of a tenancy be it in part of full, it is a legal requirement that letting agents must have written confirmation from both the landlord and tenants concerned agreeing to the amount being returned. Often landlords and tenants fail to agree on what amount is fair based on the condition of the property upon the tenants vacating compared to that when they first moved in. In such instances a decent agent will try to negotiate a compromise but this is not always possible. Where applicable the matter is then referred on to an independent tribunal who review all relevant documentation and make an impartial decision. This is what happened in your case and unfortunately it is not something that can be processed and resolved within just a few days. Once the tribunal get involved the agent steps back and has no involvement in the decision making. Nor can they influence the time taken to resolve matters. This will of course, ultimately delay all or part of a deposit being returned but it does mean the case is reviewed by an independent third party. Once they make their decision based on the facts provided to them the landlord and tenant must accept this. The letting agent is then instructed to return to the tenant whatever amount of the deposit, if any has been agreed. The letting agent has no influence over the final decision nor can control how long it will take to resolve the matter once referred to an independent tribunal. I fully accept that this is very annoying for tenants who often rely on this money for their next rental property. Many perceive that agents merely hold on to the money for their own financial gain but this is simply not the case. Beresfords are a fully regulated letting agent and will therefore always abide by whatever laws are imposed on us. In such instances as your own, this often works against us with tenants perceiving we are either inefficient or intentionally holding onto tenants money for as long as possible. I do hope that my explanation above at the very least provides a clearer picture of Beresfords position in this instance. Steven Bond Managing Director, Residential Lettings

Hi Athol,I just wanted to thank you for taking time out to provide your feedback and I am pleased that our local lettings team impressed. We are all very grateful for your 5-star rating.Steven BondManaging Director - Residential Lettings

Dear Hayley and DavidI have seen a copy of your recent review posted on Trustpilot. Although this is a review platform we do not subscribe to, I wanted to reply regardless. The reason the deposit has not been returned to date is due to the general condition of certain parts of the property following your departure at the end of your tenancy. As a result, the landlord instructed us not to return any of your deposit until such time as relevant quotations had been received from contractors to put things right. Legally, letting agents cannot refund monies to tenants until such time as both landlord and the tenants concerned have agreed a mutually acceptable compromise. I understand that Elaine West, a member of our lettings team has spoken to you (Mr) on Tuesday and Thursday of this week, and is doing her very best to resolve this matter as soon as possible. The landlord has committed to come back with the findings of the quotations early next week so let’s hope that at this point both parties will be reasonable and come to a sensible arrangement, which in turn will enable us to return some of your deposit. We hope that you now appreciate agents have to follow a legal process in such instances, and in some instances it can take a considerable period of time to reach a final conclusion. Steven BondManaging Director

Hi Maz Thank you for your recent review. It is great to read that you have been happy with the service provided to you by our lettings team in Chelmsford during your dealings with them and that the process was smooth and efficient throughout. We all very much appreciate your 5-star rating. Steven Bond Managing Director - Residential Lettings

Hi Brenda Great to read that Sarah dealt with everything for you in good time and was friendly in her approach. We are all very grateful for your 5-star rating. Steven Bond Managing Director - Residential Lettings

Hi Alex,Thank you for leaving your positive feedback. I was pleased to read that Alice has been efficient and helpful throughout your dealings with her and that you found the overall experience to run smoothly. We are all very grateful for your 5-star rating.Steven BondManaging Director - Residential Lettings

Hi Pauline I was pleased to read that everything proceeded smoothly for you and that Abby impressed. Many thanks for your 5-star rating. Steven Bond Managing Director - Residential Lettings

Hi Anuj Thank you for taking the time to leave your review. I am glad that you have found our team in Chelmsford to be helpful and responsive and that you have been happy with the service provided to you. We are all very grateful for your 5-star rating. Steven Bond Managing Director - Residential Lettings

Hi Ose,So pleased that you were impressed with Debby and that she dealt with you throughout in a professional manner. I know she will be very grateful for your kind words and we all appreciate your 5-star rating.Steven BondManaging Director - Residential Lettings

Hi GretaI noticed that you left a recent review on Trustpilot which is a site that we do not subscribe to, however, I still felt it appropriate to reply. I am sorry if you felt our staff were dismissive during a recent telephone call. In some cases landlords are very specific in terms of the criteria that they require, especially regarding tenants with pets. As I am sure you will appreciate, we follow the instructions of our landlords in this regard. Currently demand from prospective tenants is outweighing supply, and we know that many tenants are becoming frustrated at continuously missing out on properties. We try to do our very best for all of them but can only match one set of tenants to each property. I will discuss with the relevant branch the circumstances surrounding your comments, as a positive customer experience is very important to us..Steven Bond - Managing Director Residential Lettings

Hi Uttishta, Thank you for your positive comments. It is pleasing to read that Thomas and James have been professional and knowledgeable throughout their dealings with you and that you have been happy with the service they have provided. It is great to know that you would not hesitate in recommending us to others. Steven Bond Managing Director - Residential Lettings

Hi AnikaThanks so much for providing us with your feedback. I’m so pleased you were impressed with our service and that everything proceeded without issue.Steven Bond Managing DirectorResidential Lettings

Hi Abaker,We appreciate you finding some time to provide us with your feedback. I am pleased that you found Lauren helpful when renewing your tenancy and we are all very grateful for your 5-star rating.Steven Bond Managing Director - Residential Lettings

Hi Gary, Many thanks for leaving your feedback. I was pleased to read your comments regarding the service you received from our lettings team in Chelmsford, but especially Gabby. I know she will be very grateful for your kind words and we all appreciate your 5-star rating. Steven Bond Managing Director - Residential Lettings

Hi Omega Many thanks for taking the time to post your feedback. Considering the comments made, I have taken some time to investigate this matter further and can explain why the initial deposit which you paid upon commencement of your tenancy was not refunded when you moved out. Just prior to your departure from the property, as per the terms of your Tenancy Agreement, it should have been properly cleaned, but when our Inventory Clerk inspected, this was clearly not the case. Furthermore, we had to arrange for a significant amount of rubbish to be cleared out of the shed which filled an entire skip. Also, at the point of final inspection, a bed, bathroom unit, vacuum cleaner, wall units, chest of drawers, lamp and curtains were missing and therefore all needed to be replaced by the landlord. The mould to which you refer has been caused as a result of condensation that arose due to windows not being opened periodically whilst you were living at the property to provide sufficient ventilation. Every tenant, including yourself, would be provided with an explanatory leaflet upon first moving into the property regarding condensation and how to effectively reduce the risk of dampness during a tenancy. As a result of all these issues, the landlord was well within their rights to utilise the funds from your deposit as a contribution towards cost of repairs and replacement of items. I hope this explanation helps provide a clearer position of the reasons why you did not receive a return of your deposit in full. Steven Bond - Managing Director Residential Lettings

Hi Adeola Thank you for your feedback. I know Thomas and the rest of the lettings team in Chelmsford will be very grateful for your kind words and 5-star rating. Steven Bond Managing Director - Residential Lettings

Hi Chloe So pleased that Tom and Abby were effective in helping you through our rental process and that everything proceeded smoothly without issue. I hope you are happy in your new home. Steven Bond Managing Director - Residential Lettings

Hi NamritaYour feedback is very much appreciated. I was pleased to read that Kate, one of our senior Inventory Clerks was friendly and professional, listened to some of your concerns and promptly addressed them. I know Kate will be very grateful for your kind words.Steven BondManaging Director - Residential Lettings

Hi Lee, Thank you for taking the time to post your 5 star review for Rhiannon who is based at our Chelmsford office. I am pleased to hear you have been impressed with the level of service Rhiannon has provided as I know how hard she works to ensure the process is as stress-free as possible. She will appreciate your kind comments and look forward to assisting you as the transaction progresses. Alison Horsley, Customer Service Manager

Dear Mr HarrisonHaving read the contents of your review, although we reply to every single review I felt compelled to respond to yours personally. Naturally I was concerned at some of the comments made and having investigated the matter further reply as follows. We would never treat anyone, be they tenants or a landlord with any disrespect but if you felt this was the case on this occasion then I sincerely apologise. My understanding is that neither yourself or any member of your family were actually present on the day of check due to Covid restrictions so I would be keen to know more about why you felt our staff made you and your family feel like second class citizens. I’m happy for you to provide more information in this regard and then I can investigate further. My direct email address is sb@beresfords.co.uk . I must disagree with your comments regarding the return of your deposit. As an industry we are tightly controlled by certain regulations. In terms of deposits, letting agents cannot return a deposit to a tenant until all parties (landlord & tenant) have agreed to any specific amount being returned. This cannot be based merely on verbal agreements as the legislation dictates we must have written confirmation from both parties. To speed up this process we request written confirmation by way of an electronic signature. We conducted our check out inspection on 11 November then prepared the relevant report which was subsequently sent to both parties within a few days. On the 18th November having digested the contents of the report the landlord verbally agreed to return your deposit. They were then sent a document to sign electronically the same day but as of close of business on Friday we were still awaiting return of this. We have chased the landlord twice since Wednesday and I can see from our internal records that our staff have been keeping you fully updated. We will of course continue to chase until such time as the relevant authorisation is received. Often letting agents get ‘bad press’ over this issue but I hope my explanation above provides a more detailed overview as to why it is not as simple as just returning funds on the final day of the tenancy, and to a certain extent is out of our hands if we are awaiting information or confirmation from clients. As a business we always try to act professionally and within appropriate guidelines, but in situations like this it sometimes works against us which is a real shame. Please rest assured we will continue to chase the landlord for a response and return your funds immediately upon us receiving the required written authority from the landlord.Steven BondManaging Director, Residential Lettings

Trustpilot is not a site we currently subscribe to and therefore I have just been alerted to the review you posted towards the end of last year. I am naturally concerned and disappointed with the comments made within. As a business we invest significant time and money into training with a view to delivering consistently high levels of customer service and I apologise if we have let you down on this occasion. Our clients benefit from a full range of services that we are able to offer and these will be outlined when dealing with an initial inquiry. Our independent mortgage advisors offer free advice and there is no obligation. Whilst we would encourage people to 'shop' around for the best possible deal, it is ultimately the client's decision as to whether they take up this option.Unfortunately I am unable to locate your file details to help me identify any concerns. Please could you contact me with further information on a.horsley@beresfords.co.uk.Alison Horsley, Customer Services Manager.