Every review we hold for the Newcastle Upon Tyne office, from every platform, shown as written. First names only.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleWould give it 0 stars if it was possible. Our tenancy ended in July and we still have not received our deposit back despite us trying for weeks. Completely unprofessional and it seems a lot of staff don't have a clue what they are doing. When still in the property we had to go over a month without an oven, again we were ringing up and going to see them multiple times a week. I only wish that we would have shopped around a bit before going with Walton Robinson. The rates that they charge are extortionate for the service that they provide, when you can go somewhere else with lower fees and a much better experience. Won't be going through Walton Robinson again and have learnt this lesson the hard way. Avoid at all costs.
Sophie · 16 September 2016
Agent replied
Hi Luke,
We have been negotiating with the spokesperson over the past week with regards to the deposit return and the agreed amounts were refunded yesterday afternoon. If you would like to discuss any of the issues from throughout your tenancy then please call the office on 0191 243 1000. Thanks, WR.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleI wish i could give less than a star ! possibly the worst company to deal with regarding every issue we came across. We had multiple issues throughout our tenancy and not one of them was resolved. We had an alarm that went off at 6am every day and throughout the day with respect they sent an engineer but he didn't have a clue what day of the week it was and could not fix it. So the issue was just unresolved and forgotten about from the ever so reliable staff... With the dilapidation report i'd say 80% of costs were fair and reasonable but £22 to remove a piece of cellotape off the floor? Some things were completely ridiculous and the deposit has taken since 28/7/15 to be returned (2 Months) We wanted to dispute our deposit that was going to be returned due to the multiple issues we faced during tenancy but this could add an extra 6-7 weeks processing time this is clearly a strong deterrent to make students think i cant be bothered for the sake of £20 which is the exact attitude that all students will have due to their ludicrous time frames. I would strongly advise not a single student to go to this firm with the extortionate admin fees at the start of tenancy you really receive horrendous customer service.
Connor · 16 September 2016
Agent replied
Hi Connor, we are sorry to hear that you were not satisfied with the service you have received.
We always aim to attend maintenance issues within a reasonable time frame during your tenancy and Walton Robinson instructed a contractor to repair the alarm on two occasions where it was repaired. We were not aware that any problems continued after these repairs were completed.
The original costs put forward by the landlord were done so in line with TDS guidelines, and tenants were given the opportunity to negotiate on any of the costs proposed by the landlord before the deposit was returned. If you would like to discuss any of this any further please don't hesitate to give your property supervisor, Jo-Anne, a call on 0191 211 3974.
Kind Regards, WR
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleKeen to take your money when you first sign up. Reluctant to give it back at the end.
Very nice service when I first approached them but an absolute nightmare to deal with when trying to get my deposit back at the end of my tenancy.
For example, was told at the end of my tenancy someone would be around to take photos to show the landlord. A few days later I email to check they have done so to which they never replied. I then rang instead and was told that they have no record of anyone visiting my property and second that they would never do that as they don't manage my property. A few hours later I receive an email from my landlord that he received the photos from the estate agents. The ones they claim not to have taken!
I was then told that actually getting my deposit back was nothing to do with WR but after repeatedly trying to clarify exactly how I get my deposit back was told instead that WR are holding my deposit. Of course this was only after I visited them at their building myself, because of the 5 times I rang to to speak to someone I was told the person I needed to speak to was busy and would ring me back. Of course they never did. Thankfully after three weeks I've got my deposit back and I never need go near them again.
Long story short. Go elsewhere. There are much better places in Newcastle!
Gareth · 16 September 2016
Agent replied
Hello Gareth
We are sorry for the issues you have experiences, however Walton Robinson did not organise a check out of your property and did not take any photos at your property to pass to your landlord. If you would like the details for this company please contact us and we would be happy to pass across this information to you.
We require written confirmation from your landlord before deposit can be refunded and once this was received we contact you for your account details and processed the refund within ten days, as required by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
If you wish to speak about this matter further or would like the information for the company that organised your check out please contact Lauren on 0191 211 3961 or lauren@waltonrobinson.com
Thanks WR.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleAwful agency, our letting fell through at the last minute so we were left with no house and they took 2 months rent out of our accounts despite not being with them. they took at least 2 weeks last month and am still currently waiting for them to give the money back. It is extremely difficult to get through to the right person, I was transferred 5 or 6 times without them answering. Absolutely terrible, if you value your money do not go with them.
James · 16 September 2016
Agent replied
Hi James,
We are sorry to hear that you have been dissatisfied with the service you have received. Unfortunately we were advised at short notice by the landlord that your tenancy was unable to proceed, but as soon as we learnt of this we contacted you and suggested alternative properties - regrettably none of these were suitable.
As discussed with your flatmates yesterday we are investigating the issue with rent payments further with the bureau we use to collect direct debits on our behalf, and will endeavour to return the funds to you at the earliest opportunity, please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused you. If you have any further queries or concerns please call 0191 211 3973.
Thanks, WR
★★★★★ 2/5
GooglePros:
-Friendly staff - viewings were pleasant and when calling the company, they were nice and understanding.
-Quick repairs/problems - any problems we had were addressed quickly.
Cons:
-Inexplicable admin fees and charges - I got charged £18 alone for asking for a 'landlord reference', as well as the hefty deposit, administration fee for getting the house off the market and initial months rent.
Overall, good company but the admin fees were way too much and the pros of the company just didn't outweigh the ridiculous admin fees I had to pay. Probably wouldn't use this company again solely for this reason.
Michael · 16 September 2016
Agent replied
Hi Michael, we are pleased you think highly of our staff and property management services but are sorry to see you were unhappy with the fees. We ensure the admin fee is displayed on our property listings and clearly explained to all tenants before any money is paid or any paperwork is signed so there are no hidden fees. The admin fee covers the services we provide; from arranging and conducting viewings, negotiating with landlords on your behalf, organising all paperwork and legal documents, registering tenant deposits, and more. We charge a landlord reference fee as this is also a thorough process which includes conducting a rent review into whether the rent was paid on time each month and also reviewing all previous inspection reports throughout the tenancy to check if there have ever been any issues. If you have any questions about this please give us a call on 0191 243 1000. Thanks WR
★★★★★ 1/5
GooglePlease don't be mislead!
Initially I rated this 5 starts and said it was amazing, but after going through the process a little more I can certainly tell you it isn't. I'm trying to keep this as honest as possible.
Reserving the accommodation:
This is great, it's fast and efficient. They'll show you to the accommodation, the accommodation looks fantastic and they'll sell it. Then it gets to signing about 8 documents, when I signed my documents most of them were drafts as they weren't finalised, this wasn't really an issue. What was an issue is not being able to keep a track of what you've signed, so I recommend saving them in a chronological order.
After reservation:
Please note, I do not live in the accommodation yet. So, at this stage you've signed all documents and are just waiting for it to hit the date where you can start living in the accommodation. During this stage I contacted WR a total of 28 times to find the internet speeds of my accommodation as well as several other questions, yes 28. The first dozen emails I sent to a senior manager came back with no reply despite read receipt being on. So I decided to call instead, whilst the more general questions were answered, the more specific questions about the accommodation itself weren't. To this day all I get is them saying, "oh the woman who deals with this place isn't in at the moment, I'll let her know to give you a ring back". But this 'ring back' doesn't happen. So honestly I've given up asking.
Furthermore the reviews of the accommodation I'll live in next year are surprising! Two people said fire alarms keep going off and nothing has been done about it, repairs aren't being repaired. Then one says that water and internet keeps cutting out... This isn't something you'd want to hear when you're moving in soon.
My final review of this company is 1, they lack in providing customer service and quite honestly the service they do provide isn't of a suitable enough standard.
000 · 30 July 2016
Agent replied
Hi Ibrahim. We are sorry you feel that information regarding the status of your new tenancy has not been clear and understand that you have not been contacted recently. According to our records, it looks like copies of your signed documentation were emailed to you when you secured the tenancy on 02/12/15. If you cannot find copies of these documents please do let us know and we will re-send these to you. Bethany Meakin, manager of the administration team, confirmed with your Guarantor on 01/06/2016 that we had received all necessary reference documents which were outstanding. For the avoidance of any concerns you may have we can confirm that all documents required for you to move in have been completed. The Internet that is included in the rent is 50MB/second. There is the option to upgrade to 100MB/second but there will be an additional charge for this which you set up directly with the internet provider. We will provide you with all the details upon moving into the property. We have also not been aware of any issues with the internet but we have 24/7 network support from the provider which again will be supplied when picking up keys. Unfortunately there were some teething problems with the fire alarm which have since been rectified. If you would like to discuss this further please don't hesitate to call Bethany directly on 0191 243 1000 ext 7227. Thank you WR.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleTERRIBLE & SELF SERVING
From arriving at 28 North Terrace, NE2 4AD to find a shattered double bed forcing me to sleep on the floor with my 6 month old to the ceiling collapsing and the central heating not working, my experience (which includes renting a number of commercial properties in town) with Walton Robinson has been the worst with any estate agent I've ever dealt with.
I cannot express the sheer offhand nature they deal with problems *** once youve signed** : I even had to fork out £400 to pay for the previous tenants utility billsas a) WR wouldnt supply the previous tennants details so b) I couldn't switch provider... there was actually so many issues I dont want to list them for fear you dont read the next section.
MOST IMPORTANTLY : I've noted that the vast majority of five star reviews on this google review page have a perculiar thing in common. Barring the poor naive folk that have only just signed (I'm so sorry for your loss) The other reviewers seem to pop up, leave a five star review for walton robinson but strangely review nothing else. There's no details on their profiles either. Not even a jokey profile photo
It's strange that isnt it especially as WR had a 1.something rating a year ago. If you also think its odd I strongly recommend the little report flag next to them. For some reason, I have no idea why, Google seem to take the reviews down for some reason.
So... after now getting my solicitor involved I'm still waiting for my deposit nearly a month after leaving. Paid for an end of tenancy clean myself yet they tried to charge my £98 for the same service a few days later. They charged a work colleague of mine... to remove a pencilcase.
If they could charge you for used air... they would.
(over to Walton Robinson to undermine this actual factual reviewer; you'll notice they try to do this under the guise of professionalism which utterly undermines the fact that you've a genuine heartfelt problem with the very place you're supposed to be able to live comfortable)
Lucian · 30 July 2016
Agent replied
Hi Luke,
We have tried calling to discuss the issues you had raised. We apologise if you had problems while residing at the property. However, each item you mentioned was attended to as soon as was possible once we were made aware of it.
The bed unfortunately was being replaced by the landlord as they handle their own maintenance. We informed them that the bed required repaired during the inspection done before you moved in and, once you made us aware that this had not been completed, contacted the landlord to ensure this could be completed at the earliest opportunity.
The issue with the heating was caused by a component which required changing. Once reported contractors attended the property, identified the problem and ordered the part required which was installed once it was delivered.
The damage to the ceiling was caused by a leak, and unfortunately had to dry out before it could be completely repaired which meant that the repair work took a bit longer than originally anticipated.
In relation to the previous tenants and bill payments, it is for reasons of data protection that we cannot release the contact details of other tenants. If you had informed the energy company that you had just moved in, provided them a copy of your tenancy agreement along with the meter readings then the energy company would have set up a separate account for your tenancy. You are never responsible for bills from before the start date of your tenancy and if you have paid £400.00 towards another tenant's bills then you are entitled to this back. If you give the energy company our details we can help them deal with bills from previous tenants.
Regarding the clean of the property following the checkout, it was clear that areas had been missed and it is outlined in the tenancy agreement that the landlord may ask you to contribute towards any such costs at the end of the tenancy. If you arranged a professional clean before the end of the tenancy then we suggest you discuss the level of clean done with the cleaning company instructed. We can provide photographs taken during the checkout inspection, if you would like to see the condition of the property and the reasons the clean was requested.
We have not yet received correspondence from any third parties regarding your deposit return, and until such time as an agreement is met we will continue to hold your deposit with the TDS.
If you would like to discuss any of these issues further, please do not hesitate to call our office on 0191 243 1000.
Kind regards,
WR
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleAwful service, used the company last year to rent a student house from them. After paying their extortionate agency fees, we at least expected good, on the ball service throughout the year and at checkout.
Agreed with multiple members of staff that we could leave furniture in one of the rooms of the property for 48 hours after check out, until our next tenancy began. I returned to find my grandfathers oak desk had disappeared, and when I frantically rang to enquire where it was, I was told it was sent to the dump and had been destroyed!?
Unforgivable considering I was liaising with them about this for weeks leading up to checkout, and multiple times a day in the 48 hour period I wasn't in the property (chasing up other stupid mistakes, such as all being charged for keys we had returned already, or asking for final meter readings which we had already given). This, amongst the other incompetent service, poor communication and general lack of common sense we experienced from the staff is what gives estate agents their terrible reputation.
Unapologetic, rude, and down right stupid at times: do not recommend, especially considering their premium price tag.
Holly · 30 July 2016
Agent replied
Hi Holly
We are sorry to hear that the situation you describe occurred. We try to advise tenants that items should be removed following the end of the tenancy to avoid the risk of damage or loss as once the tenancy ends, the landlords insurance no longer covers the security of the items inside. If the item in question was lost due to an error we can only apologise and look into the matter to ensure this type of situation does not occur again.
As for the remainder of issues you mentioned, thank you for your feedback, if you would be able to call the office on 0191 243 1000 we would be glad to hear about the areas you mentioned with aims of improving our service.
Kind regards, WR
★★★★★ 3/5
GoogleThey do have a good selection of properties, but be careful cause I've heard that recently agency fees have been extortionate this year and staff aren't always helpful. A few of them are great, but when we went to sign for our contract we were kept waiting for 30 mins before being told that someone had forgotten to book in our appointment and we had to go back a week later. When we went back the staff member was completely unaware that not all of us are signing the same contract and again we had to wait while they organised the paperwork.
We love our house, but when we moved in we weren't given all of the keys which was a pain, however when things have needed fixing we just emailed and someone was round pretty sharpish to sort it out, for example the ignition on our cooker and the flusher on the toilet broke, vital stuff! But they dealt with it the next day :)
Also final thing, when we signed for our house we were offered bottles of wine if we left Walton Robinons a 5 star review on facebook, which I felt was really unprofessional when they deal with lots of students.
Oh and get your contract looked at, they had put in sneaky things such as, we wouldn't have got back the interest on our deposit when it was returned, but you can pull them up on it, they just don't expect it!
Overall, nice houses for the most part, just be vigilant and if you don't get a reply to your issues, send them the email 5 times a day every day until they do reply :p
F · 17 September 2015
Agent replied
Hello Fay, thank you for your feedback and apologies if you have not been entirely happy with some aspects of our service. If you would like to discuss any of these issues further please do not hesitate to call us on 0191 243 1000. Kind regards, WR
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleI have been with Walton Robinson for two years in two different properties. In the first year, while slightly slow to respond to issues and taking an unwarranted sum off the deposit, they were fine in how they treated their tenants.
The same can not be said for the second year. I had a blood stained mattress for the duration of the year which they did not replace. I had Shoelaces for blinds in my attic room coupled with severe mould due to a contractor taping up an extractor fan. They took two months to replace a door knob. They did not finish decorations and then charged us at the end of the tenancy for these items to be removed.
Walton Robinson were managing the property on behalf of the Landlord.
I have lived in Newcastle for five years and used 4 different estate agents. I would avoid Walton Robinson, as general consensus seems to state, they are absolutely abysmal in their service in letting management.
Newcastle has a wide range of rental properties with an equally wide range of estate and letting agents, please shop around as there are decent companies out there, unfortunately this is not one of them. We managed to get half of our deposit back over 5 months after the tenancy had ended. Appalling.
Connor · 17 September 2014
Agent replied
We are sorry to hear you feel the service received throughout your second year with us was not to a satisfactory level.
During the tenancy, we instructed contractors on behalf of your landlord who visited to investigate the cause of the mould in the attic bedroom. This was found to be a result of an accumulation of condensation caused by inadequate ventilation and heating. Whilst there was a small mark on the mattress at the start of the tenancy, no evidence was provided to suggest that this was a large blood stain as indicated, when the tenancy commenced.
At the end of the tenancy every effort was made to negotiate between both parties regarding the deposit return and the landlords proposed deductions. As these negotiations involve various different parties we are not always able to provide responses as promptly as we may like to. As we were unable to reach a mutually acceptable agreement, the deposit protection scheme were called upon to adjudicate on the allocation of the deposit. This further extended the timeframe before the deposit was returned. They determined that the majority of the claim being made was justified, based on the evidence provided to support it.
We trust you appreciate as agents we are representatives for your landlord and as such are only able to act within the terms of our agreement with our client.
Should you would like to discuss any of these matters further please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Yours sincerely,
Walton Robinson.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleInefficient, Incompetent, Unprofessional, Unreliable. We have received multiple emails over the last year threatening to apply charges for late payments (which had been made and not allocated) for damage to a door (for which they had proof was made prior to moving in) threat of court proceedings in relation to debt (without them requesting/checking proof of payment). Unfortunately the lowest I can review is 1star.NegativeResponsiveness, Quality, Professionalism
Gary · 26 August 2021
Agent replied
Hi Gary. I am sorry to see that you have been unhappy with the service provided. We have a very robust arrears procedure in place, which I am sure you can appreciate is required. So if a tenant is in arrears, they will be chased. Please accept my apologise if you have every been chased wrongfully.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleOverall TERRIBLE, they're doing everything they can to avoid giving us back our deposit and we left the house in better shape than when we found it - which was disgusting and unclean. We had multiple maintenance issues which they took months to fix, we even had no shower for a whole month.. 10/10 would NOT recommend.NegativeQuality, Professionalism, Value
Esmé · 26 August 2022
Agent replied
Hi Esmé. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a 5* review. We're delighted to hear about your positive experiences with Dan, and we'll be sure to pass your comments on!
★★★★★ 5/5
GoogleIn my experiance with walton robinson all i can say is that it has be thoroughly postive, and everything straight foward. Employee Jade Field has been extremely helpful with any issues concerned and i want to thank her personally for her help during my tenancy and also her help in finding my next property with Walton Robinson. Fantastic
Billy · 16 September 2018
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleIf you are a student reading this you already know they have a very bad reputation but you must think it can’t be that. I am here tell you it is not worth your time. When they want your money they are very efficient however, as soon as you …
Francesca · 13 April 2023
Agent replied
Hi Francesca,
We are sorry to see you have left us a 1* review. … More
★★★★★ 1/5
Google6 weeks from leaving the property and still no correspondence regarding our deposit, consistently lie about the property manager being out of the office. Would rather live in a tent for a year than rent from WR again. I can't stress enough do not rent from these guys, they're the worse and most expensive letting agency in Newcastle. You should be ashamed taking advantage of students who are new to the rental market.
James · 16 September 2017
Agent replied
Hi James, we’re sorry to hear you have not been satisfied by the services provided by WR. Your property supervisor Dale has been in touch with you with regards to your deposit. If you wish to discuss this further, please call him directly on 0191 255 4449. Regards, WR
★★★★★ 2/5
GoogleWorst letting agency in Newcastle.
Had nothing but problems from this agency, if you expect a call back you will be lucky as they dont believe in a thing called customer service.
Having spoke to many people that work for this sorry excuse for a company, the same results occurs, none of them have a clue what is happening. its like talking to a brick wall.
so, use these at your own risk.
Frazer · 31 July 2013
Agent replied
Frazer, we are sorry to hear you have had a bad experience with our agency. We pride ourselves on providing excellent levels of customer service so it is disappointing to hear your views and would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to further discuss your experience. We will contact you shortly to arrange a meeting. Regards, Walton Robinson.
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleTerrible agency. Screwed us over with our deposit. £800 for a cleaning fee when it wasn't left in a bad state at all. They tried charging us for a damp wall which was caused due to a roof tile falling off from a storm. That damage had nothing to do with me and the rest of the tenants. Our tenancy ended in August 2022 and we didn't receive our deposits back until March 2023 even though we constantly kept ringing them. Not very professional either as when we ring them we get told we will get a phone call back and we don’t.
A · 31 March 2023
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleThe service is very poor. I lost my passport photo, which is always important. There is a fundamental problem.
Clong · 31 December 2019
Agent replied
Hello, please get in touch on 0191 243 1000 or email enquiries@waltonrobinson.com if you have had an issue with our services so we can help to resolve it for you. Kind regards, WR
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleWe have rented via walton robinson for a year now with a multitude of issues. Recently we resigned as the property itself is great. I was at work today and I was notified by my partner that two people left themselves in our property to take …
Benedict · 13 April 2023
Agent replied
Hi Benedict,
We're sorry to see you've left a 1* review. … More
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleMy daughters moved in to one of their student properties 2 weeks ago. The amount of issues and now a slug infestation has left me tearing what little hair I have out. The property was not cleaned before they moved in. They did not have any …
Gary · 13 April 2023
Agent replied
Hi Gary.
We are really sorry to see you've left us a 1* review. … More
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleHorrible customer service, first of all you'd expect to collect keys on a Sunday, given that its when every student is moving in, second they forgot to send me some documents and refused to let me move in, until all the documents were filled out, after all that hassle, they lost my house keys and gave me the wrong ones, been sleeping in my friends couch for two nights now.
Vishnu · 16 September 2017
Agent replied
Hi Vishnu, we apologise for the issues you experienced, however we believe that this has all been sorted out now. If you want to discuss this further, please contact 0191 243 1000. Thanks, WR
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleThe worst estate agents I have ever used. Threatened to re list the property because THEY hadn’t signed the paperwork and had not read our emails multiple times. They will never ring you back. They told us to collect the keys from them, …
Ellie · 13 April 2023
Agent replied
Hi Ellie,
We're really sorry to see you've left us a 1* review. … More
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleI have contacted them 5 months before my tenancy end to ask them to extend my contract, they have let me know that they have already agreed with a third party to let the place that I called home 10 months before my tenancy end with no heads up or a notice.
Ali · 16 June 2022
Agent replied
Hi Ali,
We're sorry to see you've left us a 1* review.
We must advise that we were instructed to let the property by your landlord, it was placed onto the market and unfortunately let before we were told that you wanted to renew.
Thanks,
Walton Robinson
★★★★★ 1/5
GoogleThey are talking to you nonstop when they want their agency fee (extortionate) then disappear as soon as you move in, can barely get hold of them to sort anything! Then when getting the deposit back they team up with the landlord to fleece you for as much money as possible and don’t give you help! Would 100% not recommend, awful service all round.
Macauley · 16 September 2019
Agent replied
Thank you for your feedback Macaulay. Walton Robinson are really disappointed to hear that you have been dissatisfied with the service provided.
If you would like to call our office on 0191 243 1000 we would be happy to discuss communications from during your tenancy. With regards to the deposit return, WR are not authorised to charge or refund any amounts without an agreement from both parties.
I understand that your landlord reduced tenant costs considerably, an agreement was made and the deposit return was completed. If you do wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to call the number above. Many thanks, WR
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.
