Trusted Agent profile · Harlow
★★★★★
1,176 reviews across 1 platform
Barnfield Way, Harlow, CM17 9TN
Simple Life's office in Harlow, at Barnfield Way, is rated 3.8 out of 5 across 1,176 reviews on 1 platform.
Every review we hold for the Harlow office, from every platform, shown as written. First names only.
5/5
TrustpilotOlivia has been extremely helpful since…
Olivia has been extremely helpful since the day we moved in. If we’ve ever needed to report minor issues regarding the property we are renting, Olivia has made sure to sort it very smoothly and effectively, she is a real credit to SimpleLife
Thank you for your kind feedback!
1/5
TrustpilotDon't trust them
They try any tactic in the book to take money out of your deposit. Claimed money to clean the oven yet we had proof we had done just that. Made the deposit return process as long as possible, leaving everything until the last possible moment. Also refused to answer questions and ended up failing to even submit evidence to the dispute service, seemed to just want to waste our time and hope we caved. Suffice to say they lost. Take plenty of pictures when you leave, don't trust them.
Hi Andy, We're sorry to hear that you are not happy with your end of tenancy deposit deductions. As you will be aware, we have completed a find reviewer request, however the information provided does not match that of any tenancy we have had on our database, so based on the information provided, it would appear you have not been part of a tenancy agreement with us. Please get in touch with us so that we can identify you and your records in order for us to help you further.
5/5
TrustpilotDear Jade,
Dear Jade,I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for all your help in finding and renting our dream home. We couldn't be happier with our new home, it's everything we've ever dreamed of and more. From its pristine condition to its wonderful amenities, we feel incredibly fortunate to have found such a perfect place to call home.We also wanted to inform you that we have already made the payment for the deposit and the rent, and we have signed the lease agreement. Your assistance in facilitating these transactions and guiding us through the paperwork was greatly appreciated.Thank you for going above and beyond to assist us every step of the way. Your expertise and guidance were invaluable, and we are truly grateful for all that you've done for us. We wish you continued success and happiness in all your endeavors.Once again, thank you for everything. kind regards,Marcos Pires
Thank you for your review Marcos! We will make sure that Jade receives a copy of your lovely feedback!
4/5
TrustpilotWilliam Gough provided truly…
William Gough provided truly outstanding service when assisting me with completing a lease agreement. He was extremely professional, knowledgeable, and efficient throughout the entire process. William quickly responded to all of my questions and concerns, ensuring I had a full understanding of the lease terms. His clear explanations made a normally tedious process straightforward and seamless. I am grateful for William's expertise and excellent client service. He is an asset to Simple Life Homes. Thank you, William!
Thank you for your review!
4/5
TrustpilotWilliam Gough provided truly…
William Gough provided truly outstanding service when assisting me with completing a lease agreement. He was extremely professional, knowledgeable, and efficient throughout the entire process. William quickly responded to all of my questions and concerns, ensuring I had a full understanding of the lease terms. His clear explanations made a normally tedious process straightforward and seamless. I am grateful for William's expertise and excellent client service. He is an asset to Simple Life Homes. Thank you, William!
Thank you for your review!
5/5
TrustpilotLovely house and service
Living in this house for over 5 years. Loving it
This is fantastic to hear, thanks Ayodhya.
5/5
TrustpilotLovely home
Lovely home, any problems are dealt with quickly and efficiently.
Thanks for your lovely feedback, Jaime.
5/5
TrustpilotMoving into my property tomorrow and…
Moving into my property tomorrow and viewed it not to long ago absolutely amazing inside and out and thanks to Jack the agent who has provided the best support for getting a house.
Thank you for your review JD! We hope you have a wonderful move in day!
5/5
TrustpilotChristine was great!
Christine was great! She was able to advise myself and my partner on everything we needed to know. The whole process was quick, efficient and professional. Thanks.
Thanks for your review Jake! We try hard to make the whole process as simple as possible, so we're glad that this is the experience you have had. We will be sure to pass on your positive feedback to Jade. We hope you enjoy your new home!
2/5
Trustpilotno parking given to a resident-they dont care
I have lived there since beginning of October and the flats themselves are lovely! But when moving i was given the impression there were car spaces available, when i moved in i questioned it and they said i was on their 'waiting list'. 5 months later no communication other than its not in contract and they cant help me. there are at least 40 unused spaces around my area but why cant they give them to their residence struggling?! I have received 3 parking tickets for parking in the area where i am supposed to be LIVING...
HelloThank you for your review and responding to our find reviewer request so that we can identify your development and tenancy.We can see that when applying for your property you were made aware that there were no Simple Life London parking spaces currently available, but you were happy to still proceed on that basis. We can confirm that you are still on the waitlist, and we can also see that the team did previously offer you a space that became available at another block, however you declined this space. Unfortunately, we have not had any other spaces become available for us to offer to you. Any spaces that you see available on the development are either rented by another resident or are not under the ownership of Simple Life London, so we would be unable to offer these to you. The wider site has parking restrictions in place and this is monitored by an external company (PCM), this is a site-wide instruction and not something that Simple Life London has the power over.We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused, but hopefully you can appreciate that we have no spaces available and parking restrictions were highlighted before you applied for your property.
2/5
TrustpilotI stepped back
I have trying to move in to another house, I wanted to move to a new kinda of property, something I didn’t feel right about the process of paying for the holding deposit even before having a chance to view it, always they say we cannot view the property until 2 weeks from the date the property will be available, will be very risky to give notice to my current landlord and might also lose some of the holding deposit if something wrong in the viewing.With many bad reviews about getting back the whole deposit after people move out, I decided to step back.
Hi Mahmoud,Viewings are not specifically restricted to 2 weeks before a move in date, a viewing will be arranged at a property as soon as we are able to, however depending on the property you are looking to reserve, there may be factors which doesn’t allow us to gain access for viewings right away. For example, if a property is brand new and has been under construction, we may not have taken handover of it yet from the housebuilder so we are unable to take people around until we have the keys and the property is under our control due to construction health and safety reasons. Once the home is signed off and we have taken it from the housebuilder we can allow viewings. Alternatively, if a property is a re-let and there are existing residents living there who do not wish to accommodate viewings, then we are unable to carry them out. If a property is vacant but it is undergoing extensive works to get the property back up to scratch for the next tenancy, then a viewing won’t be available until the property is in a better condition.You do not have to reserve a property right away and you are more than welcome to wait for a viewing, we just have to make you aware that as there is high demand for our properties, many people do reserve off-plan or before viewing in order to secure it, and as it is first come, first served, if someone applies in the meantime, then you will unfortunately miss out on that particular home as you haven’t yet applied. However, if you put down a holding deposit and apply for a property and upon viewing the property, you are not happy with it, your holding deposit is fully refundable.
5/5
TrustpilotThe whole process was slick & easy!
The whole process was slick & easy from first point of contact. The negotiator Jade told me everything I needed to know when I took the apartment. My property manager Olivia made everything so simple once inside & after I moved out. Thank you guys!
Thank you for your review and the lovely feedback Bobby!
1/5
TrustpilotDisappointing move out experience
Very disappointing experience moving out of a Simple Life property.
Thank you for your review and for providing sufficient information for us to investigate this matter further. We’re sorry to hear that you were disappointed with your move-out experience and appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback. At the start of every tenancy, residents are provided with a check-in inventory and a 7-day period to review and report any discrepancies or concerns. This process is intended to ensure all parties are aligned from the outset of the tenancy. At the end of a tenancy, any proposed deductions are based on the condition of the property in comparison to the check-in report, alongside contractor quotations where applicable. While we understand some repairs may appear minor or could potentially be completed independently, we are required to instruct qualified contractors, which can result in higher associated costs. Following a further review of the check-out findings and the evidence available, we were satisfied with the proposed deductions.. We also take tenancy duration and fair wear and tear into account during the assessment process. Our records show the tenancy duration was 2 years and 7 months. Where an agreement cannot be reached regarding proposed deductions, the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) provides an independent adjudication service, which both parties can utilise to reach a final resolution. We are sorry to hear that you found the process stressful, as this is never our intention. We appreciate you choosing to live in a Simple Life home and thank you again for your feedback. If you would like to discuss your experience further, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
5/5
TrustpilotHannah is a credit to Simplelife
Hannah is a credit to Simplelife, Since day 1 she has been very helpful and has gone out of her way to help me, Hannah will always return my emails and has been on the end of the phone if i need a query answering.Many thanks.
Thank you for sharing your feedback Roy!
5/5
TrustpilotHannah Bishop
Dealt with Hannah Bishop many times on the phone and email and has always been extremely helpful no matter what questions I have for her. Very easy to communicate with and any issues have been resolved quickly and in a professional manner.
Thank you for your review Keiran!
1/5
TrustpilotPlease, please avoid.
I would urge anyone looking to rent to avoid Simple Life. We moved into a 3 bed terrace in April 2022. Our experience of move in was tainted by the fact the property was dirty, covered in dog hair and our second floor third bedroom and landing wreaked of dog urine where the previous tenant had let her dog go to the toilet on the carpets. Throughout our tenancy we experienced significant delays in response to our request for maintainance (the carpets took 4 months to replace, the leak in the ensuite was never rectified in the 20 months we were in the property, we were left with exposed nails downstairs where the skirting boards had not been replaced). We finally made the decision to vacate the property in December of 2023. I (stupidly) had not read the multiple reviews of previous tenants who had Simple Life trying to rob their entire deposits. This has now happened to us. Our entire £1.2k deposit plus an additional £300 has been claimed. We left the house in a better condition than when we moved in. Myself and my partner take great pride in our homes and the fact that this company think it’s acceptable to try and wangle innocent peoples money sickens me. We have tried to resolve the dispute by agreeing to the (largely unnecessary) works to take place but providing our own quotes for the works (at a 10th of the price) and Simple life are having none of it. I honestly don’t know how they are still running as a company. It’s criminal what they do to their tenants, they are thieves and I would advise everyone to avoid at all costs for your own sake. We are in the process of a TDS dispute currently, let’s just hope that a mediator can see through what they are trying to do.
Hello,Thank you for replying to our request for more identifiable information via Trust Pilot. Since leaving your review, we are aware that Adam, our Head of BTR, has been in touch to get to the bottom of any issues you are facing.From looking at your records we can see that the original clean of the carpet took just 6 days, so we are satisfied that this was carried out in a reasonable timeframe for you. Shortly after the carpet clean we can see you reported that the pet smell returned so we agreed to get the carpets replaced. We apologise for the subsequent cancellations, as I believe Adam has explained that was a genuine error due to a mix up with the contractor eagerly getting a date booked in before the quote for carpet in all the relevant areas were approved. We wanted to ensure that there was just the one further visit to get all rooms completed in one go to reduce any inconvenience for you.We have been investigating why the carpet replacement took so long to get approved and booked in and we are sorry for any hassle this has caused in the meantime. We also want to thank you for sharing this with us so we can identify where we can look to improve in future.We are pleased to see that the carpets are all fitted now and as we didn’t have a record of skirting board nails being reported, Adam has also picked this up with you to get it resolved quickly.
1/5
TrustpilotPoor service
Poor service. I am so disappointed in simple life. We originally moved from one simple life property to another and because they were so good the first time round we decided to stay with them especially since I was moving in the middle of a pregnancy and wanted something easy and stress free. Unfortunately that was not the case I moved into the property in May 2023, there was a gap in tenants so there was an outstanding bill from the energy supplier, the bill came to the house so rightfully I sent the bill to simple life for them to deal with as it was for a period where I didn’t even live in the property, simple life has decided that they aren’t going to pay the bill and since May 2023 I have had debt collectors calling my phone, writing me letters and threatening legal action, each time I send the letters to simple life urging them to sort it out. All of this while heavily pregnant!!! We are now in January and I have since given birth yet I am still being hounded by debt collectors for a bill that’s not mine. We are in January and still they have not paid. Heather has decided to completely ignore my emails and I am being left to deal with something that I shouldn’t have to deal with while I have a new born baby to think about.On top of moving in they only gave me one set of working keys, so my partner and I had to share a key, Heather said I would receive a refund if I was to cut the key myself as I should have received two sets, since sending the receipt over she has also decided to ignore me on that matter aswell. If I knew that this would have been my experience I would have saved myself the trouble and went with a different company.
Hello,Thank you for your review and responding to our find reviewer request so we can identify your tenancy and property address.Firstly, we would like to thank you for being a loyal customer, we’re really pleased you chose to stay with Simple Life when moving and we really hope the account aligned in your review doesn’t affect your decision to stay with us long term.Since leaving your review we can see the team has been in touch to update you on this situation. As discussed over the phone, the outstanding bill is for a period liable to the previous resident, and not the landlord (Simple Life), therefore we are in the same position and share in your frustration. We have been in touch with the utility provider multiple times to get them to update their records and to prove you are not liable for the outstanding charges on the account but we have had no response from them. This has now been successfully raised as a formal complaint with the energy provider and an investigation is underway. The team will continue to escalate this with the utility provider to get this resolved as soon as possible and we’re sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you. In the meantime, we would like to reassure you that as you were not living in the property during the period in question, no action can be taken.We’re sorry for any delay in a refund for the second key cut, we can confirm this is being processed immediately for you.
5/5
TrustpilotSimple Life Home
We moved into our Simple Life Home on the 29th of September. It's been amazing, all the utilities needed such as a washing/dryer machine, dishwasher and a wardrobe already within the house made moving even easier. The simple life app is so easy to use and if we've ever had a query the agents are quick to get in touch and help out. I'd recommend to anyone to live in a simple life home, it's practical, homely and easy. The house we've moved into is the perfect first timers house, well maintained, clean and the company are reliable for anything that needs sorting.
Thank you for your wonderful review Grace! We're delighted to hear that you're happy with your new home and the services Simple Life provide!
1/5
TrustpilotAvoid!
I have already written a review with our getting our deposit back which was fully expected after reading the reviews on here beforehand. That took long enough, and only got done through us phoning and emailing numerous times, in fact I have still never received a reply to my emails that I sent. This was only returned to us because we phoned numerous times. To anyone reading this before renting a simple life home, just don’t. We were there less than two years, our rent went up after the first 12 months. Everyone on our estate paid different rents and they will come back to this to say that it depends on the size of the garden etc but this is rubbish. The price clearly depends on how many people have moved in and out because they can bump the price up for the next tenants. We started at £825, then they put it up to £905 then less than a year after raising to £905 when we moved out, they placed it back on the market for £985. I wouldn’t mind but the area we lived in was not great and these prices did not fall in line with other properties in the area. We had simple life staff on our estate taking photos of peoples front gardens and emailing them to ask them to remove items such as chairs! This is supposed to be a home, nobody should be coming round taking photos asking you to remove things from your property that you pay to live in.Responding after simple life’s update.Yes they got back to us on the 9th working day, after office hours. I then emailed that staff member 5 times and never had a single response. I phoned and was told a message would be passed on for the deductions to be lodged with the tenancy despot scheme. This didn’t happen. My partner phoned a few days later and was told on the phone by another member of staff that they would do it ‘now’. This didn’t happen either. I then phoned the next day to ask why it had not been done and was told there was an emergency and she couldn’t get around to it and that she would do it ‘now’. Within ten minutes the deductions were lodged. It shouldn’t not be that difficult to get your money back when clearly this is a two minute job for simple life. Regarding the rent increases. Regardless of the rental market you increase your prices every year. Where does that end? Year on year increases of £80-£100 are not realistic at all. We have never lived anywhere with such big increases, it is actually sad for the people that move in thinking they are secure because the houses are ‘built to rent’ then end up not being able to afford to live there because of the ridiculous rent increases.
Hi Sheyna, As stated in our previous reply. We always aim to get back to people within 10 working days, however we do need to get the check-out conducted, the report reviewed and approved before we are able to contact you, to avoid any miscommunication. We’re pleased to see that the team got back to you within the 10 days as expected. All our rents vary by property type, plot position, garden and outlook. It is industry standard for rents to be reviewed every 12 months and this was outlined in your tenancy agreement. As people move in at different times across the year and due to rents increasing continually in the local marketplace, the rent for each household will be reviewed at different times and therefore there will be some differences across a development.
5/5
TrustpilotHelpful and efficient
From enquiry to reservation Tom Billington was super helpful and understanding, from my stack of emails and probably annoying questions I did received ample information about the property. The fast replies really helped me feel comfortable in the whole process as I was stressing out. Would definitely recommend simple life homes and Tom to be your agent :)
Thank you Alicia! We will make sure Tom is aware of your lovely feedback. We very much hope you enjoy your new home!
3/5
TrustpilotWhile simple life homes was ok
While simple life homes was ok, let alliance the other company they use are most definitely not. I put down a £250 deposit to hold a house that was supposedly up for rent but after going back and forth with let alliance I had to wonder if they were legitimate. Four times they asked for my passport and other information despite me providing it on email every single time. I have to wonder where that information went. After all this I asked for my money back because the process was terrible. I didn’t receive my full fee back and I have to wonder if they do this on purpose to gain extra fees when only refunding partial fees.
Hi ChrisThank you for flagging your concerns to us on Trust Pilot. Firstly, we’re sad to see that you have had a confusing and negative experience with Let Alliance. Whilst Let Alliance is a trusted and leading referencing company in the UK, this company is not part of Simple Life and as a result we are disappointed that you felt compelled to leave a negative review against Simple Life. Following your review we have followed up with Let Alliance and they claim that they have reviewed your case and have no record of ever receiving your ID from the email in your application.As you decided to withdraw your application on your own free will, only part of the holding deposit was refunded, which is in line with our terms and conditions (signed by you when reserving a property). With over 6,000 properties across the UK, all our residents have been referenced by the Let Alliance Group, so we can alleviate any concerns of misconduct. If you would still like to proceed with your application then please get back in touch and we would be happy to help.
1/5
TrustpilotWe handed the keys back on the 31st…
We handed the keys back on the 31st December. We still haven’t heard anything about our deposit. I guess they leave it right until the ‘10th working day’ to get in touch.Updating this a few hours after leaving this review they decided to send us the deductions they would like to take from our deposit which like everyone else on here is a lot. In fact they want to take 50% of our deposit. They have also been sat on this information since the 2nd of January as per the dated pictures on the check out.Updating after simple life replied. Yes you had until the 15th but the check out was conducted on the 2nd I phoned and emailed after this and was told it had not yet been done. I have responded to the email asking you to pay the rest of my deposit but have still not had a response. Whilst this might seem a short amount of time to you, that is my money that I am owed and it shouldn’t be this difficult to get someone to get this sorted. The email was sent late Friday night so I didn’t have chance to get a response from the person that sent it then and still don’t have that response now.Update 17th JanDespite simple life’s response here to say that I now know when my deposit will be returned I do not know this information. After responding to the email on Friday asking them to lodge their deductions to the tenancy deposit scheme and follow up emails Monday and Tuesday as well as phoning they still haven’t done so. I just want my money back and to be done with the company.
Hi Sheyna,Thank you for your review. We’re disappointed that you feel you needed to leave a 1 star review when we are within the given deadline of 15th Jan to get back to you with further information.We always aim to get back to people within 10 working days, however we do need to get the check-out conducted, the report reviewed and approved before we are able to contact you, to avoid any miscommunication. We have looked into your case and I’m pleased to see that a member of the team got back to you last week with confirmation on when you should receive your deposit.
5/5
TrustpilotGreat service
Jade was the person I talked to, but I can only tell you good things. She was so friendly and helped me all the way through to get the house I was looking for, for so long! Process was very quick and I am very happy!
Thank you for your review Ana!
5/5
TrustpilotMatthew has been very helpful and so…
Matthew has been very helpful and so quick to respond, and a joy to email back and forth with.
Thank you for your lovely feedback!
Where the same review appears twice we show it once. We leave out reviews that name another agent or another of the brand's offices.
Tell us what you need and we'll put you in touch. Simple Life Base at Newhall hasn't joined The Trusted Agent yet, so we'll pass your enquiry to them or to up to three other top-rated agents near Harlow.
