Every review we hold for the Longbenton office, from every platform, shown as written. First names only.
★★★★★ 1/5
TrustpilotBe careful with your deposit
Be careful with your deposit! I have not had a good experience with Simple life and getting back my deposit. I have sent several emails to the maintenance team who does not respond to emails or take calls. I left the simple life home on August 20th and still have no confirmation on my deposit return. I got sent an email telling me that a list of items needed to be done and I was getting deducted for wear and tear that should be done after a tenancy by the landlord...be very careful!
Melanie · 1 September 2026
Agent replied · 24 September 2026
Dear Melanie,
Thank you for raising your concerns with us.
Following your review, the team have had a thorough look at your check our inspection and unfortunately, we can confirm that we feel the deductions proposed are both fair and warranted to bring the property back up to our standard. We are limited as to what we can share in a public forum due to GDPR, however, you should already have a further breakdown of how the costs have been split and what they are being used to cover. We can also confirm that fair wear and tear has been considered already with Simple Life contributing £244 toward the decoration and cleaning along with covering the entire cost of other items.
If you disagree with the deductions, you are able to dispute these through the TDS (tenancy deposit scheme), who will review evidence from both tenant and landlord to reach a fair and final outcome.
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotFrom start to finish communication with…
From start to finish communication with Rachel was fantastic.There was a few things needing doing such as the garden and a few other things. Fast and efficient on moving making the process easy. Very helpful. Rachel was always keeping in touch with us every step of the way.
Louise · 12 May 2026
Agent replied · 31 May 2026
This is wonderful to hear. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience, Louise & Stuart!
Enjoy your new home.
★★★★★ 1/5
TrustpilotWhen you first apply for a Simple Life…
When you first apply for a Simple Life Propeety they come across as efficient and professional.
Don’t be fooled.
The houses are made from the cheapest possible products by, it seems, the cheapest possible builders, the finish is poor at best.
Anything wrong? Then if you are very lucky a repair may be carried out within 6 months.
Demanding emails declaring that they will let themselves into your home to carry out gas checks.
Yearly increases on your rent (usually 10%+)
You need anything? Help? Maintenance ? Nuisance on your estate? Won’t happen zero interest unless rents are not paid.
Please take my advice and look at anyone and everyone else before this company - they are preying on people needing houses and fleecing you for a home
Peter · 26 August 2026
Agent replied · 17 June 2024
Dear Peter,
Thank you for reaching out and providing us identifiable information, which has allowed us to locate your records.
We're sorry to hear you feel the service received is not to the standards you were expecting. Following your review we have looked at your maintenance issues raised on the repair portal and we can see that you have not raised any new requests for 4 years. We would therefore appreciate it, if you could contact the team to confirm if there is anything you feel is outstanding.
We, as a landlord have to keep gas safety certificates up to date from a regulatory perspective, therefore, it is standard in the rental industry for your landlord to request access for these checks to be carried out in a timely manner. Most importantly, these have to be checked for the safety of you, our residents and for the security of our properties.
★★★★★ 1/5
TrustpilotAwful, incompetent and unprofessional team
The Barking branch of this company is completely awful, unprofessional and incredibly incompetent. First, a horrendous pre-move experience where our previous agreed apartment was taken away due to ‘maintenance works’ which never got proven, just two weeks before our agreed move in date. And we were only given an option to move in to another apartment which was more expensive than the already agreed apartment, the company didn’t even offer any act of goodwill or provide any support to us. We were just told move in to the new and more expensive apartment or find somewhere else to live on your own. After that, on the day we were meant to pick up the keys, after agreeing to meet at the apartment the office representative did not show up and made us go all the way to the office to pick up the keys. Upon arriving, the representative wasn’t at the office either and had made no arrangements for us to pick up the keys from colleagues, no one at the office knew anything about the whole agreement which further shows the level of incompetence. After finally getting the keys hours later, the apartment was in a mess, it looked like no one had been there since the previous tenant left. The place was dirty, wardrobes broken, and completely not in a state ready for move in. The level of incompetence, unprofessionalism and lack of ethical standards displayed by this company has been astounding. I would seriously caution anyone hoping to use their services.
Update: a few weeks have passed since moving in. I am still waiting for a response regarding a broken washing machine and chest of drawers. I’ve chased multiple times, with no response and I’m having to pay for a laundromat when i have a washing machine. Despite their promises of urgently resolving the issues, here we are weeks later, still with pending issues.
JO · 25 August 2026
Agent replied · 24 September 2026
Hello,
Thank you for getting back to us with further identifiable information. This has allowed us to locate your tenancy.
We apologise for the inconvenience around key collection on the day of your move in. Unfortunately, the staff member who was booked to meet with you was on sick leave that day, which meant last minute arrangements had to be made. We would like to reassure you that this isn't the normal or desired experience we offer our residents.
We're very sorry for the experience you have described and we would like the chance to look in to this properly for you. As we don't have record of the issues raised until your review, could you provide further information to our complaints team directly with further detail and any evidence or photos you might have. The complaints team are expecting your email and will be ready to investigate these matters. complaints@simplelifehomes.com
★★★★★ 1/5
TrustpilotScam artists. Avoid at all costs!!!
Absolute rip off merchants!!
I’ve lived in my apartment for 4 years and they have increased my rent by at least £100 each year which apparently is ‘non negotiable’.
I won a tribunal case last year meaning my rent didn’t increase because it was absolutely ridiculous, and now this year they want to increase my rent by £110 per month.
I’d dodge this scam artist company like the plague and find a more ethical landlord.
Also, if you do get a rent increase, go to the rent tribunal service.
I was told by the judge managing my case that Simple life homes are renowned for unreasonable rent increases.
Fight your corner people!
Review · 24 August 2026
Agent replied · 24 September 2026
Hello,
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Unfortunately, as your review has been submitted with no identifiable information available to us, we are unable to look in to this for you. You will see we have sent you a find reviewer request. We would very much appreciate you responding to this, in order for us to investigate this further.
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotFive stars all round!
Currently half way through the process, and so far its been straightforward and stress-free to date.
Amber R was super helpful, polite, knowledable and incredibly efficient with every question and request we had. She kept communication clear, responded quickly, and ensured everything moved forward without any delays or confusion.
Having someone that professional and genuinely attentive makes a massive difference when sorting out a tenancy.
So far I can't recommend Simple Life enough, especially with team members like Amber making the whole process so easy.
Five stars all around!
Laura · 24 August 2026
Agent replied · 24 September 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback Laura! And thank you for your special mention for Amber!
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotPaulina has been incredibly friendly
Paulina has been incredibly friendly, helpful, and professional throughout the process. Her communication has been excellent, always keeping me updated and answering any questions quickly. She also provided really useful advice which made everything much easier and less stressful. Thank you again for all your help!
Andrew · 14 May 2026
Agent replied · 31 May 2026
Thanks for your lovely feedback.
We’re really pleased to hear Paulina was helpful, professional, and kept you well updated throughout the process. We’ll make sure your kind words are passed on to her.
Thank you again for taking the time to share this.
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotThank you Amber!
Amber has been so helpful, I honestly can say I’ve never had such efficient service, she really listened and responded to my queries with professionalism. I wish all my interactions were with people like Amber! Thank you for making a stressful time an enjoyable experience!
KRoe · 16 May 2026
Agent replied · 31 May 2026
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. I’m delighted to hear Amber was able to support you so well during what can be a stressful time.
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotCare, cleanliness and simplicity
Pleasant interaction with staff from applying to moving in. Home was thoroughly cleaned, looked and smelled lovely. Everything on hand if I need anything. Thankyou to all 😀
Marilyn · 28 August 2026
Agent replied · 24 September 2026
Thank you so much for your review Marilyn!
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotCharlotte was very helpful and made the…
Charlotte was very helpful and made the whole experience very easy for us. She talked us through the whole process and made sure our needs were met and was very personable as well as being easy to contact throughout.
Joe · 20 May 2026
Agent replied · 17 June 2024
Thank you so much for your kind words. We're delighted to hear that Charlotte made the experience such a positive and easy one for you.
★★★★★ 2/5
TrustpilotDracan Village
Unfortunately, my experience living at Dracan Village has been really disappointing, particularly when comparing what was originally advertised with what has actually been delivered.
Ellie · 18 August 2026
Agent replied · 24 September 2026
Hi Ellie,
Thank you for reaching out and we're sorry to hear that Dracan Village hasn't met with your expectations.
I have spoken to the developer who is undertaking the wider development plans and amenity including the school and convenience stores. I am pleased to say that the school is completed so I expect this to be opening shortly. The commercial units have not yet been built and have been handed over to another commercial developer to deliver.
We're sorry to hear that the rental increases were not in line with your expectations. As part of your rental agreement, rents are reviewed every 12 months and should align with that of the wider local market / comparable quality of properties. As you will be aware through previous communication, the owner of this development has changed and although Simple Life is managing the properties in the short interim whilst everything transfers over, we no longer directly have control over the rental increases put forward.
We can confirm that our contractor, Envirocare visits the development to maintain the front gardens on a fortnightly basis. As this is the first time we can see this being reported, we have passed your feedback on to them for their attention. For this also be recorded and tracked on the appropriate channels, please could we ask that you submit this on your maintenance portal account.
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotCan’t fault them
Can’t fault them. House is as described and presented. The one or two small issues found when first moving in (we were very first tenants so this was expected) were rectified quickly and successfully. They were very easy to contact through app or phone. Really enjoying our home!
KM · 22 January 2026
Agent replied · 24 January 2026
This is fantastic to hear. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, KM!
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotIt’s been a great experience so far…
It’s been a great experience so far especially Paulina who has been very helpful and professional
Chimezie · 8 September 2026
Agent replied · 24 September 2026
Thank you so much Chimezie, it's really kind of you to say, and I'll make sure Paulina hears it too. Feedback like this genuinely makes a difference, so we appreciate you taking the time.
Simple Life Homes
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotThe company is very straight forward…
The company is very straight forward and smooth. Everyone in the team is super polite and helpful, however for me James stood out, he’s super energetic, polite and helpful. Nothing feels too much to request or ask off him, he’s always reassuring and honestly made any questions I had easy to communicate. I think James deserves a fat bonus 😛 thank you for your help James I called in daily for weeks and could always tell when James answered the phone and we always had a giggle. Wish you a successful future
AJ · 14 May 2026
Agent replied · 31 May 2026
Thank you so much for such a lovely review! We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us.
It’s fantastic to hear that the team made the process smooth and welcoming, and especially wonderful to hear how much of a positive impact James had throughout your journey.
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotGreat customer service from Niamh!!!
Niamh was excellent to deal with throughout my application process. Her prompt replies were really helpful and professional. She was very clear with instructions as-well as answering any questions which I had.
Amad · 13 May 2026
Agent replied · 31 May 2026
This is fantastic to hear! Thank you so much for your review, Amad.
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotOlivia has been very supportive…
Olivia has been very supportive throughout the process. Top notch customer service. Well done.
Uche · 9 September 2026
Agent replied · 24 September 2026
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this review, it means a great deal to us, and especially to Olivia. We're really pleased she made the experience a positive one for you.
Kind Regards
Simple Life Homes
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotMegan was proactive in helping our move…
Megan was proactive in helping our move in smoothly. We had excellent service.
Mavis · 25 August 2026
Agent replied · 24 September 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review Mavis!
★★★★★ 1/5
TrustpilotDisgraceful and unprofessional.
This was a nightmare from start to finish. My wife and I earn in excess of £85000 a year between us and they were adamant they wanted a guarantor!!! We provided 2 seperate guarantors from professional working people who were both rejected. The customer service people were rude and did not respond to my emails and I had to constantly chase them regarding my application and guarantor status. I complained and was response by some minion who stated they have a process they go through even though I told them I knew someone who was given a property at the same site whose Mother was her guarantor and she wasn’t even working. This whole experience was a complete farce and showed how unprofessional this company is and they pick and choose who they want. An absolute disgrace. Avoid at all costs.
Mr · 20 October 2024
Agent replied · 22 October 2024
Dear Mr Walters,As we have explained over email on a number of occasions to you, there are a number of different factors that are considered during the referencing process, income is just one of them. For a full list of reasons why someone may fail referencing or require a guarantor please use the article below. We suggest that you take a look through to identify the areas that may have effected your application: https://www.simplelifehomes.co.uk/simple-blog/why-wont-my-letting-agent-tell-me-why-i-failed-referencing/As you know, your guarantors were not rejected, based on the information provided to us, you required both guarantors - your application was still going through and we were waiting for one of your guarantors to complete their forms, before you decided to withdraw your application.Our referencing criteria is aligned with most referencing agents and landlord across the UK and unfortunately the outcome was not something that is within our control.
★★★★★ 1/5
TrustpilotThe houses look good for 1 star
The houses look good for 1 star. That's where it ends. Prepare to be lied to, ripped off and let down. Ours on Stonefield edge from new build. Garden floods, sewers reek, paid for front garden maintenance doesn't happen. Plumbing is an absolute joke (our washing machine emptied into the dishwasher). Emergency numbers go unanswered (when the downstairs toilet is over-topping with sewage) and calling out Dynarod is "not our policy to pay for third party maintenance". Any issues within the property you have to fight for. For example; our smoke alarm started going off with no smoke. All day and all night. We rang to report. "Change the battery" we were told even though we ain't thick and had already done that. We disconnected it so we could sleep. 3 weeks went by unprotected before an engineer came out, telling us all the alarms installed were faulty and were all packing up across the site. So, a known issue then! Rents rise annually for no additional benefit, and when enough is finally enough and you give notice to move out, they have you over a barrel. The terms and conditions change silently while you're putting up with all their crap and you find the 28 days notice won't start until your next payment date, so you end up giving (and paying for!) 7 weeks notice if you house moves comes along just after a pay date. Their office people when they eventually get round to answering your emails are surly at best, rude at worst and smug knowing that they're ripping you off. Their rules and regs are underhand (rushing you to complete the faulting log on the day you move in with all the hassle that entails, then blaming you for issues that you missed in the melee), complicated and financially fall in their favour every single time. I'm reluctant to use the words 'fraud' and 'theft', as their T&C's state their intentions readily if you can find them, but you get the idea... They were ideal when we were looking to get out of a problem rental, but boy, talk about out of the frying pan into the furnace.. I'm not expecting to see any of our deposit back either, having dared to 'live' in one of their properties and had the audacity to hang curtains and put up pictures; all fixings repaired you understand but I can guarantee "not to our standard". Never again and recommend anyone to steer well clear of Simple Life.
Matt · 13 October 2024
Agent replied · 22 October 2024
Dear Mr Foreman,Thank you for responding to our find reviewer request, allowing us to identify your records. We’re sorry to hear that you are dissatisfied with the services we have provided.We can see that you raised some issues with your garden and drainage 3 years ago. When the issues were raised, the property was still under warranty with the housebuilder, so they had dealt with the situation and nothing has been raised on these matters since. We’ve also reviewed photos of the maintenance of your front garden and we’re happy that this has been kept in very good condition by our grounds maintenance team. During your tenancy we can also see the dishwasher leak that had been reported. The dishwasher was replaced, but we can see that the installer kinked the pipe so another contractor had to reattached to replace again for you. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this caused you.Our resident liaison team requested for you to replace the battery for your smoke alarm as this is always our first port of call when the alarm is beeping continually. Once this was attempted, the problem persisted which resulted in a replacement alarm being fitted. We can see that the replacement took slightly longer than we would ordinarily expect, this was due to availability with the contractor who would be required to fit a new alarm. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.All residents are given 7 days to complete any comments on their move-in inventory and when a resident is due to vacate we also offer a pre-tenancy health check to help identify anything that might need bringing up to standard so that our residents have maximum opportunity to gain their full deposit back. It is also outlined in your tenancy agreement that rents will be reviewed every year in line with that of the local market and if you wish to exit your tenancy, 28 days notice from your rent payment date is required, both of these practices are standard within the rental industry.
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotJames has been incredibly helpful…
James has been incredibly helpful throughout this process. He arranged a viewing straight away and has made the entire experience smooth and positive so far.
Finlay · 11 May 2026
Agent replied · 31 May 2026
This is amazing to hear! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, Finlay!
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotSimple Life Team are exceptional 👌
The company Simple Life has got listening hears, they respond to queries on time via the app.Matt Bullman is always on it, he ensures you are okay eventually by following up with the queries. I am gonna say thank you. Also , I can't forget to thank Ben, he received us on our first day 28th of March, 2024, he took his time to explain every little details, he is also a good listener, paying attention to every little details we were highlighting. Ensuring customers satisfaction. And to Christine that kept reassuring us that the move in date that was fluctuating was due to the fact that they need to ensure the property is in good shape and habitable for us. Thank you Christine. Although i have got some queries yet unresolved but I believe the team are on it and would finally get it sorted. Thank you again and God bless.
Bunmi · 29 September 2024
Agent replied · 22 October 2024
Hi Bunmi, thank you so much for all your wonderful feedback for the team! We're pleased to hear that you've had a great experience with us!
★★★★★ 1/5
TrustpilotSimple Life-Disgusting Company
I recently applied for a property at Charlton Gardens, Apley, Telford. On application there was nothing mentioned regarding the criteria for a guarantor and they were quick enough to take my deposit after I was told I had been accepted for the property depending on references, which were all ok.I was then told I had to find a guarantor and I provided 3, one after another, who were rejected due to unrealistic reasons. All were financially set and had excellent credit scores.Because we could not find anyone else to act as a guarantor, we lost the property which my family had their hearts set on. During this painful experience the Simple Life team showed no empathy or support in order to help us acquire this property.I have now lost a large part of my deposit through no fault of my own and we have been left in limbo to try and find a property within a short space of time.I found this entire process disgraceful and very unprofessional and shall be making all this public all across my social media platforms, highlighting the poor customer experience and lack of professionalism shown.I would strongly suggest dismissing the so called customer service staff and as far as the tools from let alliance, I would strongly avoid having antything to do with them.I spent most of my adult life serving in HM Forces and I am absolutely appalled by the way I have been treated.
Mr · 27 September 2024
Agent replied · 22 October 2024
Hello, we're sorry to hear that referencing was failed on this occasion and we're sorry if you feel the information made available to you wasn't clear. Whilst we would prefer to be in the situation where we can give absolute clarity over failed references, in some cases we are limited to the full extent to why someone (a main applicant or a guarantor) fails a reference check. There are many reasons for this which we have highlighted on the below article to help explain the possible reasons: www.simplelifehomes.co.uk/simple-blog/why-wont-my-letting-agent-tell-me-why-i-failed-referencing/
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotNiamh was extremely helpful
Niamh was extremely responsive and helpful in helping me secure a property! Estimated response time was only a couple of minutes, almost unheard of.
Chante · 13 May 2026
Agent replied · 31 May 2026
Thank you for your review, Chante! We're delighted that the team were responsive and helpful.
★★★★★ 5/5
TrustpilotSmooth, Enjoyable Process - Thanks Matt!
I was looking for a property fairly quickly, so I contacted Simple Life about a development and was put in contact with Matt Boyd. Matt was a god-send throughout the entire process. He took my numerous phone calls without complaint, provided clear explanations of the process, and maintained quick, consistent communication. He ensured that the process was smooth and much less anxiety inducing than I expected!Despite the high demand in my development, I was able to select a property and complete my application in less than a week. Without Matt's quick responses and his help, this would not have been possible.I highly recommend and I can't wait to move in! Thank you again, Matt!
Charlotte · 13 September 2024
Agent replied · 22 October 2024
Thank you for your wonderful review Charlotte!
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.
