ZeroC Places for People Dorchester reviews

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Pest Control Charges”: A Review after 8yrs and 7 months staying at a PFP Flat (Chandos Rise) in Portsmouth

During this time I have seen a lot of stuff. Good and mostly bad. But what tipped me over the edge was the pest control charges. Rent went up by over £50 a month for the next 12 months and about £20 of that was for pest control. Quick maths shows that £240 for pest control. There are about 90 flats who were all purportedly charged a similar cost as a circular was provided. This makes it difficult for people to report things as it may affect their rent the next year. Left for a different flat in the same building as it worked out cheaper. However, I was unable to complete my transfer as result of the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time my rent went up despite the hardship the nation faced. I paid £705 for a one-bedroom flat for two months. An average one bed room apartments here goes for £600. After movement was eased, they got back to me and renayed on the previous agreement in principle and increased the new flat price I was suppose to move to by £40 extra per calendar month because of service charge. Declined and asked for an explanation through a complaint. The explanation proffered demonstrated I was charged pest control again and additional charges. Most of which were already in place before the flat was advertised and when we agreed before the lockdown. Based on the story of the boiling frog, I knew it was time to pack up and move out. I had overstayed my welcome clearly. It will be interesting to know how rent increase work as different people pay different rent over different years. Friends in the buildings all pay different rent. I hope there is no discrimination there. For the one star I gave, they are flexible with rent and are always willing to put you on a payment plan during hard times. Also, they made me pay them extra rent and because the way their books work, you can only be charged for full month even though your tenancy termination shows you are leaving middle of the month. My recommendation is stay in their properties for 4-5 yrs max. When the price starts going up, start looking elsewhere or another flat at the property. It will please you to know that a similar flat I stay in the same building went up for advertisement at £530 bear in mind they were looking to charge me £705 for something similar. No more “pest control” I see.

Angus · 3 July 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Not helpfull

I was not happy at the fact that I had to pay for a electrition to come out to replace a light in my bathroom that wasnt working as I was told this was not an emergency even though I have a child living in my house. In past a past calls i have also complained about how unsercure my front door locking is. 1 yale lock. Normal key lock was removed by places for people and never replaced. Slide locks are that rusted they are no use. Chain lock is put on backwards so is useless and also cracked door frame inside and out. I think it's very disappointing how much rent I pay to be told to fix these all myself. Door is clearly not secure especially when I have a child living with me aswel!

Miss · 1 July 2020

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

What a lovely experience!

I was offered a property just a week ago. Today I went through the "remote" viewing/sign up process and have successfully secured the tenancy. Everything went seamlessly. The whole process was extremely well organised and managed, especially during these "Lockdown"Covid Times." I have read previous negative reviews, and am aware that things can go wrong, but my first experience with Places for People could not have been more positive. Any organisation is only as good initially as it's "front line" people, who generate the first impression. Places for People have an absolute star in the lovely Regan Spence who handled my viewing/sign up! She is an absolute credit. Give this lady a pay rise, please!

Jo · 30 June 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

My experience with you has been awful

My experience with you has been awful, I was given a house that stunk of green so bad I could not stay init as it made me sick, we stunk of the weed to I reported to you and police and all your head office could say was it’s just a smell, val Nichols was rude and unhelpful it got to the stage where I have had to find somewhere new to live at a costly price I would not recommend you to anyone

Mrs · 30 June 2020

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Housing Query

I spoke to Sharon this morning in connection with a housing query which I have been chasing for weeks. Thank you for getting the information to the right team as I was constantly chasing.Sharon arranged a call back from the team I needed to talk too. Very prompt service. Thank you Maxine for your immediate call back, I hope to be talking to you again very soon.I have spoke to various members of your team in the last few weeks, I have to say one member of your team really does stand out.Regan is a very professional experienced thorough member of your team. With her on board in my opinion she will only fly high. Definitely Managment material at such a young age. Genuine lady.

Nikki · 30 June 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Serious issues

Serious issues Each department does not communicate with another. For 10 years on and off I have been asking them to sort out the mould on the bedroom ceilings corners and middle of ceiling and asked to to check loft due to items coming out soaked . Window handle is broken and hanging off which Is health and safety issue alone never mind that i struggle with sever asthma so need the window open .My daughter is suppose to be having adaptions put in. Shower and tiles due to her condition which means she can not use the bath most of the times. The kitchens are falling apart and can only reattach hinges so many times and the things they have replaced are all different doors,sides so it looks absolutely ridiculous because they can no longer purchase the kitchen due to it being over 20 years old Garden Wall was meant to be raised 10years ago by housing and its still dangerous. The garden gate is atrocious and can not even be locked for security due to the hook being halfway across the wall so no lock can reach it

Miss · 30 June 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Awful landlords, DO NOT RENT FROM THEM

Awful landlords. They are completely un-organised, un-apologetic and take months to get back to you when you report a repair. None of the repair people that came to our home during lockdown followed the rules (gloves, masks, hand gel etc), despite us complaining to Derwent Living/Places for People about this (and being assured that they take covid rules very seriously and would follow this up) the repair people STILL showed up without masks on, without gloves and didn't antibac the surfaces they touched (despite us getting a letter before the appointment saying that this would happen).I would avoid any home that is let by Derwent living/Places for People in the future. Our rent rises every. Single. year. Without fail. Even during covid when everyone was struggling, they still raised our rent. Derwent living/Places for People should be ashamed of themselves. They even tried to send a surveyor round to our home during lockdown (which definitely wasn't for any reason that would benefit us). Surely the safety of your tenants should come above assessing the property for it's value during a GLOBAL PANDEMIC? Clearly not.We got a letter to say someone was coming out, however the letter was dated 2 weeks before the day we actually received it, giving us not even one days notice of this surveyor visit. This happens quite frequently with gas checks etc as well, where we will get a letter just a few days before, or not get a letter at all. Not great when you both work and need to try and be in for the appointment, otherwise risk being taken to court if you miss two of their appointments.My name and title changed 4 years ago, I have informed Derwent Living/Places for People of my name/title change three times now, including sending the correct proof, yet they STILL haven't updated it on their system and send letters addressed to my old name. I've given up on informing them now.We started paying around £500ish in rent and now we pay nearly £700 a month in rent. It goes up every single year without fail and I'm sure it will go up this year too, despite the cost of living crisis.Just to add to this, I reported 2x repairs on the 8th of January 2023 and I STILL haven't heard anything from them and it is now the 22nd of January 2023. Also the fence around our back garden completely broke in MARCH LAST YEAR and was reported straight away. This means that anyone can now get onto our back garden with ease, and we have still heard absolutely nothing almost a year later! Really unacceptable to say how much we are paying them in rent.I really cannot stress enough how awful they are. Whenever you get through on the phone the people are rude and couldn't care less. I would advise everyone to go with a different landlord, do not rent from this company, all they care about is money.In response to the reply below- there is NO solution, I highly doubt you will send anyone out quicker to fix the issues in the property and I HIGHLY, HIGHLY doubt you won't put our rent up in March/lower it, so I will not be contacting you for whatever solution you think can fix the above, because there isn't one. I will be forever advising people to avoid your terrible company that doesn't care about its tenants.

Robyn · 23 January 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

They dont real careI contacted places for people on the 17…

I contacted places for people on the 17 Jan this year 2023 to report a complete Loss of heating and hot water . The temperature was -7° . After explaining I had several health conditions they sent an engineer who arrived at 8pm with a heater. He obviously didn't want to be there. After about 20 mnts he said he couldn't fix it and reported it back to Places for People . The following day another engineer from another Co.pany turned up to check for the leak. He found it within 5 minutes but said he couldn't fix it and sent it back to Places for people. In the meantime the temperature was was still -6 . Eventually Places for People arranged for a repair to be carried out a week later . So no heating, no hot water for a whole week , no washing , no shower , no heating. I have a heart /lung condition and a chronic kidney disease. I'm a retired pensioner, registered disabled and freezing cold. All I can think of is god help those poor people in UKRAIN.

PAULA · 21 January 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

damp riddled home

i am a 20 year old girl who was so excited to move into my first ever home. i should have known from the start when they allowed me to view it and i had to make a decision right there on the spot and handed the key’s straight away. i was convinced by them that i would be eligible for all this help in paying my bills but turns out im not eligible for anything so im left with a home riddled in damp and struggling to pay for it. i’ve been in the place for 3 weeks before i decided to end my tenancy. the place is riddled with damp from the living room to my bedroom and the appointment for them to come and just LOOK at the situation is 2 months from the date i reported it. none of the windows are sealed and it is an extremely cold building. no damp was visible on the day i went to view like they had just painted over it all. i wont be using these again.

Customer · 16 January 2023

★★★★★ 2/5

Trustpilot

No toilet for nearly a month

Had no toilet all over Christmas, numerous visits from metro rod, took numerous visits and three weeks to rectify the issue, turned out they were roding an iunused pipe, now have no heating or hot water, called customer services in the morning who promised someone would come out and help, no one turned up, it’s a shame as some of the team are really helpful, I don’t like to moan but it’s basic request, I’m still waiting for the gas to be uncapped so I can cook, I am still thankful that I have a place to live

Simon · 16 January 2023

★★★★★ 2/5

Trustpilot

No hot water first in the bathroom now…

No hot water first in the bathroom now in the kitchen. Waiting three months for electrical repairs, noisy pump in boiler room next to my bedroom which was installed a week ago, and when I want to bring these issues to the managers attention I’m told “nothing to do with me phone repairs”

Robert · 25 September 2024

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

My 96 year old mum's door lock would…

My 96 year old mum's door lock would not work. Both she and her carers tried to lock the door after their visits but to no avail. My brother tried but no luck again as it was obviously broken. He tried telephoning Places for people to report this but was on the 'phone for hours and eventually had to call my sister-in-law to come and take over as he had an appointment to attend. She was on the telephone from 11.00am to 2.30pm and she also had to give up and call a locksmith because we couldn't leave mum in a dangerous situation. The locksmith cost her £260. I e-mailed the CEO of Places for People yesterday but no reply yet. To submit this review I have to state that this review is my own genuine experience but it's not - it's my mums! As I have Power of Atorney for mum's well being I hope this review will be accepted.This complaint has now been resolved and I thank the Customer Service Manager for all her help in bringing this complaint to a satisfactory conclusion.

Elaine · 7 January 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Carolyn Smith says Places for People…

Carolyn Smith says Places for People management are “cooperative” and “non-judgemental”. I don’t doubt for one minute that officials are eager to “cooperate” with one another when they decide the time has come to ‘deal’ with a tenant who refuses to bow down to their arrogant dictates and believes officials should be accountable to rent paying tenants, which is how my problems started when the manager I was dealing with absurdly viewed ill-intent in a series of questions I asked about communal areas and made a formal complaint against me resulting in my contact with officials being “restricted” for a full twelve months!This is not only totally disproportionate but a form of bullying in the hope that this will ‘teach me a lesson’, that I will not ask so many questions again!My experience as a tenants with Places for People for more than six years is that far too many officials are inept, incompetent and arrogant. The attitude among too many I’ve had the misfortune to encounter seems to be ‘don’t bother me, I’m far too important’. Quite possibly they resent being interrupted when they would much prefer to spend more of time checking their social media interests, sitting comfortably in their nice plush offices paid for at our expense!The way I’ve been treated by managers at Places for People in Preston is nothing less than scandalous and as a 73-year-old man I can say I’ve never been treated as badly at any point in my entire life. But I am fighting on regardless and hopefully the Housing Ombudsman will deliver the justice that has been so cruelly denied me by nasty, vindictive Places for People managers.Alan O’Day Scott

Alan · 10 April 2020

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

They are absolutely shocking

They are absolutely shocking. They call service and maintenance persons are complete waste of time. Having scaffolding on my property for over a month and almost no work been done. Try to reach someone over the phone nobody know what's going on. Absolute amateurs. Stay away if you can gen home elsewhere they been completely useless from day one. I'm not even bother about automated costumer service response.makes me sick

Michal · 23 October 2023

★★★★★ 3/5

Trustpilot

Resource Issues

There seems to be a distinct lack of resources at PFP to rectify issues, for example it took 3 months and 3 visits to fix the leak in my bathroom. It is still only half finished as the floor needs replacing but at least it is not flooding the room below me now.

Glen · 18 September 2024

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Effective managerial staff is totally non-existant.

Places For People seem to have contracted Cotman Housing Assoc to run the resident social housing in East Anglia.I have had bad experiences with Cotman Housing ever since moving to one of their properties in Sept.2016.This time, workmen sent by Cotman kindly informed me that there was loft insulation missing in my loft above my front bedroom. They told me it was a space measuring approx 10 ft by 4ft. that had no insulation whatsoever.It was only in July 2022 that I won a stage two hearing to have my loft insulated with the legally deemed 12 inch thick insulation in social housing.It does appear obvious the contractor ran out of insulation and my being a pensioner, they kept quiet about it, saying nothing, hoping it will never be noticed.Now back to Cotman Housing acting for Places For People. After the usual 2 hour wait on the phone to the repair dept, I gave up and then engaged in an online chat with Repairs Dept, informing a member of staff named Tom of the problem.He told me this does not come under the Repairs Team but the Assets Team, and gave me their email address.I then emailed the problem to The Assets Team, only to receive a email reply that this is NOT the Asset Team problem, but that of The Repair team, and not to use that email address again. So, we have the farce of The Repairs Team accusing the Asset Team it is their problem, but The Asset Team arguing back that it is The Repairs team problem. Needless to say, nobody is going to lay the missing insulation in my loft because of the two teams arguing with each other. Meanwhile, I'm piggie-in-the-middle losing both heat and money out of my roof due to missing insulation! Thank you very much, Cotman Housing and Places For People.Having been in the military, then progressing to a managerial career, gaining a B.A. degree, then becoming a director of a social Housing ALMO in London before my retirement, I know that if staff do not even know what their responsibility is, then such things as full training, regular team briefs, yearly staff appraisals, and a clear disciplinary procedure is non existent in this company. The above must clearly be the fault of the Supervisory and Managerial staff, clearly not knowing what their own clear roles in that grade should be.All the above for one strip of missing loft insulation that this company cannot rectify. My post code is IP141TQ

Alan · 23 December 2022

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Emma Bennett has been absolutely…

Emma Bennett has been absolutely amazing from viewing to signing up. Kept us updated all the way through, responded quickly to txt messages. Made the whole experience a great one and now we are settled in our lovely new home. Thank you so much

Jade · 1 April 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Places for People, more like Dont Care for People

Had a water leak from upstairs flat on 7th May 2022.They left the upstairs pensioner without fresh water for 10 days?Took Places for People 2 months to send out an electrician to replace the damaged extractor fan in my flat, the firm they used did such a bad job (they put in a 6 inch fan and tried to meld it to a 4 inch pipe) i personally paid for it to be refitted correctly.3 months later after they sent 3 different people out to review the water damage and after countless phone calls, and emails where i supplied photos they sent out a carpenter to plaster and seal the sealing? He was unable to complete the work as he was not a decorator.They then arranged for a decorator to attend who plastered, sanded and sealed the ceiling on 1st December after the orignal date was canceled due to unknown reasons.Places for People were due out on 15th to paint the ceiling as it is part of the tenancy agreement as the water damage was beyond my control and i was not at fault as it was down to shoddy workmanship from Barrat Homes who built the property.But again it seems they have failed in their duty of care as they are now stating that it is not down to them to paint the ceiling?I will be sending my complaints and list of issue to the national and regional papers as i find that this firm is failing dismally and does not seem to answer to anyone.

Chris · 14 December 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Terrible ongoing customer service

Seems to be a terrible company.Make constant appointments that they fail to turn up on I recently nearly had my property flooded due to drainage issues I raised as a health and safety took them two weeks to attend and fix.You contact them on there online enquiry form and they comeback days later saying I have failed to contact.Have noticed neighbours windows have all been replaced yet mine haven't raised and asked multiple times about when mine will be done no contact back.They booked to come and replace front door to a fire safety one no one turned up again. Seems they just want to get paid and ignore tennents and continue to provide terrible customer service.They are very good at doing surveys just not actually doing any work they survey.

Paul · 13 December 2022

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Excellent landlord

Excellent landlord , personal issues led to move . Kareese and Regan were very helpful and supportive in finding appropriate accommodation in a quick amount of time , constant reassurance and keeping me updated regularly . Great assets to the team

· 15 October 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

We have been with Council and then the…

We have been with Council and then the forever changing Housing Association for 30 years. “Places for People” ….not fit for human occupancy. My Mum died because you couldn’t fix a leaking stack pipe - but when she was admitting hospital you came and fixed straight away. However she lost her fight to Pneumonia with a rare strain not seen in UK since Victorian times when we used to throw our human wate in the street. Now we have mould due to a leaky heating system and water getting in from the roof? Still waiting weeks on to be looked at. What’s the saying “ no roof no house”. We have a door that’s not secure windows not sealed as curtains blow in the breeze. Water leaking throw kitchen vent when it rains running down the walls onto electrics. Our air source doesn’t work due to inefficient insulation- 4 hours on yesterday and room thermostat still on 17 degrees gone up from 16.5 in four hours!! Guess I will have to start Another Formal Complaint as it’s the only way anything will be done. We are tenants ( not customers) and you are our Landlord you do not have your own rules and regulations. You treat your tenants like we are scum living in slum properties. If I end up I’ll or any of my family due to your negligence I will not keep quiet - I should of reported you when you killed my Mum at 66 years old,Update Now the 13th December with temperatures dropping to -7 last night and we still have no heating. On the phone yesterday waiting for an hour no answer. Currently been waiting half an hour and still no reply. Looks like we going to have a rubbish Christmas

Tina · 13 December 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

I am writing this as I also wait for an…

I am writing this as I also wait for an answer to the emergency telephone line having been on hold now for 3 hours and 15 minutes to report my 84 year old mothers heating breakdown . She has only come out of hospital this afternoon and now sitting in a cold flat in the middle of winter with no hope of getting it repaired as I can’t get anyone to answer to report it. This is diabolical customer service

B · 10 December 2022

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Totally outstanding members of staff.

Due to unforeseen circumstances I had to vacate my property, places for people staff, including the gardeners all went above and beyond their job description. I can’t express my gratitude enough for all that was done. Their actions and kindness was totally outstanding, really amazing. I certainly would nominate them all for an award as they truly went above and beyond. Places for people should be so proud to have an amazing team of workers. Totally outstanding.

Samantha · 22 March 2023

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

I bought an apartment in st neots last…

I bought an apartment in st neots last year in 2021 and the service charge costs 390£ per year, for 2022 they sent me an invoice that increased to 1530£... it's an old building, they never came to wash the windows , but we pay for it and the cleaning doesn't do it properly... I asked my neighbors about the service charge and they don't pay anything like that because the apartments are from the council... I called chorus and la. place for many times people to give me an explanation, but no one is able to why I had to pay £1530 for the year 2022... it's a joke

Marinel · 6 December 2022