Martin and Co Pontefract reviews

★★★★★ 1/5

Google

Contacted the agency to view a property, but was sent a note to pay £126 non-refundable holding deposit while the application ("referencing"?) is processed. No return if the "referencing" fails. It seems like a clever scam with very little redress if the landlord has a quibble and refuses to rent. Or what if they delay the process and after 3 weeks you find somewhere else? They keep the deposit. Apparently, the holding deposit is to pay for a thorough "background check" and the guarantor. This is despite paying £650 security deposit for a £500/month flat. Maybe some people have had good experiences (one wonders if the reviews are fake), but there are too many warning bells screaming: "avoid avoid"! Do landlords ever get to rent out their properties with this agency either? Or are they milking a high demand for housing by scamming dozens of potential tenants for each property on their books? The reviews are Trustpilot are almost universally negative! Maybe because good reviews are harder to fake there...? UPDATE: hardly a malicious review, I've uploaded the message, which seems to indicate that the deposit won't be returned regardless (certainly no mention of when or how it will be returned). The rent was £550, so why is the security deposit £634? Where is "the law" to charge these outrageous prices? Apparently the £126 is to pay for a thorough background check of the tenant and the guarantor. That alone sounds like a "legal" scam, when there's already a hefty security deposit and a month's rent up front - and no doubt several candidates in a series all paying their £126 or £115 thorough background check fees. Why does one have to pay a week's rent (without being able to move in, of course) to allow the owner/agent to make up their minds whether to rent to you or not? Other agents take references and let you know by the following day whether to proceed with the paperwork. No charge. Go to Trustpilot and search for Martin & co (some decent reviews, from sellers or landlords, and a few really awful complaints, from tenants and one irate landlord) and martinco (same company but ALL with bad reviews). It seems they also charge £90 to renew the tenancy - no mention of that anywhere in the messages or the website. From their website: "... your holding deposit will be withheld if any relevant person (including any guarantor(s)) withdraw from the tenancy, fail a Right-to-Rent check..." I think the devil's in the details: the Right-to-Rent check seems to be for foreigners and there is no fee involved, just provide a "share code" from the government. Where's all the other nonsense about a "thorough background check", which could be quite strict and difficult to pass, so a very good chance you will lose the holding deposit. Based on the experience of other reviewers, this agent seems unhelpful and dubious at best. Prove me wrong!

Gary · 24 February 2025

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Right from the viewing, Danielle was superb at guiding through the process. I felt that not only did she understand the personal circumstances of the sellers but also my own. Danielle kept in touch throughout the process and I always felt I was supported and updated and as though there was genuine care and interest. It actually made the process enjoyable and I would not hesitate to recommend Martin & Co to any buyer or seller. Service is second to none.

Catherine · 25 January 2025

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Views of a customer

From start to finish this has been the most efficient, respectful and informative process I could have asked for from Martin and co. The professionalism of the team at egham especially Jasmine Gahunia has been of the highest standard and I’ve so much gratitude for the way it’s been handled. All stress and worry was taken care of and left me convinced my best interests were at heart. Even with it being at Christmas the speed at which it was all done shows exceptional standards. Would recommend this company and team to anyone looking to rent, buy or sell.

Lee · 27 December 2025

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

I have dealt with Janet from Hinckley…

I have dealt with Janet from Hinckley branch for my house sale. She has been absolutely amazing always contactable, poilte kind and helpful. She went out of her way to help us and settle my mind when issues occurred with the property sale, she also helped us to get the sale completed and contacted buyers solictors countless times when they where being really unhelpful. We are really grateful for all her work.

Miss · 18 February 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Horrible Letting Agent

This letting agent in Coalville is absolutely horrible. Throughout my tenancy, they were always unresponsive, care less about the tenants, and even breached their own contract. They refused to return my deposit and showed zero professionalism. I strongly advise anyone to avoid renting through them.

Oluwaniyi · 5 February 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Worst company ever

If i could give zero stars i would, please please NEVER rent using this company. They do not care about you they only want your money. Got Mould? Has ur boiler exploded ? Or want a nice clean apartment when u move in? Yea nah they do not care im afraid, all this stuff happened to us, when we moved in the house was disgusting, the washer cupboard had like crusty carpet (and im no princess i can make do but bro it was so disgusting) like 10 year old hoovers covered in mould, trash bags with ripped out blinds in, all the bathroom cupboards had mould in and the legs on the bed were like snapped and the light in the bedroom wasn’t attached either it was such a safety hazard and now these guys have the nerve to ask us for money towards a cleaning service for the next people when i know theyre just going to keep the money and leave it. I left that apartment c l e a n too! Oh yea and when we moved in the water wasn’t even attached to the washing machine properly so we had an apartment flood which happened like 4 times while we were there, 2 was the washer just spitting so much water and 1 time the boiler exploded water everywhere to the point half the walls doors and frames all swelled up! and i swear it was the reason i got a lung infection cus there was so much mould and water in the air bro AND THEY STILL ASKED US FOR MONEY!!! I swear im not a dramatic person, i cleaned that apartment so much and im very understanding but it got to a point where it was just ridiculous and you’re paying all this money and nothing but the bare minimum ever got done! And i had to email so much to even get that! For real if you want your sanity, just go with literally anyone else!

Molly · 5 May 2026

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

I have recently sold my property with Martin and Co. Danielle and Gemma kept me updated on the process start to finish. If you are looking for someone to sell your house with in Pontefract I would highly recommend Martin and Co. Thanks everyone.

Katie · 24 February 2025

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Worst tenancy ever

The agency does not provide any support or help throughout the tenancy period. I have been charged with nonsense expenses such as a part of my initial deposit been taken for unnecessary cleaning although the apartment was left in a far better condition than at the beginning of the tenancy. Also the agency did not provide any help in moving out and I had to contact all the utilities suppliers on my own.Bureaucracy is a nightmare and prices unfair. Sleeping under a bridge is a far better option

Marco · 4 August 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

The worst estate agent going

The worst estate agent going - Martin and Co Folkestone / Dover. Please avoid this estate agents - they allowed me and my partner to live in housing disrepair for 2+ years we had someone come round once to de mould using de mould spray and fit a vent in the bathroom which caused the mould to get incredibly worse, Matt done a property assessment with NO notice and made out we was the problem with a comment ‘ do you even turn on the vent ‘ I explained it had got worse since that being fitted ( we later found out this was fitted incorrectly ) so we was treated poorly over a mistake from there contractor. We had cried out for help on multiple occasions and had been ignored. Every time someone visited they said how bad the mould was and to avoid sleeping in the bedroom being a small house we ended up having use of half the house. We got desperate and thought to withhold rent ( this was done once over the 3 years we stayed ) still nothing done and we sent up a rent arrears payment plan. After living in a property not suitable for even a animal, me being allergic to mould and them not caring, we informed of our pregnancy and begged for this to be sorted prior to baby arriving low and behold a no fault eviction given. ( no support given during this time from them ) We have had to push the final payment of arrears back by 4 weeks to help with a deposit on a new home Katie was incredibly rude and seems to care more about £125 then a family about to become homeless. Trying to speak to anyone there is incredibly hard, they fail to take care of the tenants, the only way to get somebody to contact you is when you don’t pay something ( suddenly the replies become very quick with this and extremely rude ) Please do your research and avoid them where possible ( especially if you have children and if house has a history of mould / disrepair ) The last 2 and a bit years since these issues started we have lived in hell, my mental health being at its lowest, we have been actively trying to get out for ages but have struggled finding another property, we asked Martin and Co for help on this as overall as tenants we have been good except missing one months payment over a course of 37 months. Begging for help doesn’t make us bad tenants, the property disrepair is not on us we have paid out of our own pockets multiple times to sort things. Martin and Co treated us like animals and expected us to clearly live like one to.

Emily · 3 October 2024

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Martin & Co Winchester branch Steve Thomas

I just want to say a huge thank you to Steve Thomas for his time and effort to help me today. I telephoned Martin and Co this morning looking for accommodation for my daughter and Steve could not be more helpful I went back to Martin and Co as my daughter had rented from them when doing her degree a few years ago and I must say they are so professional and friendly it was an absolute pleasure to talk to them today shout out to Carl too who called me straight back when their was a few questions I needed to ask. Overall great estate agents top service and if your looking for help and advice go to Marin and Co many thanks for your help Steve and Carl.

Irene · 16 July 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Avoid them at all costs!

If I could give 0 stars I would - I implore everyone to avoid martin&co like the plague if you can because they are the worst estate agents I’ve ever come across. They act nice at first and then as soon as they’ve got your money and signature, they don’t care. Lynn and Sean were the rudest most inconsiderate people, both of them have huge attitude problems, and talk to you like you’re dirt on your shoe. They trick you into thinking the property you’re signing onto is all fine and good to go, and then the second you move in it falls apart because it’s all cheaply done and they cut corners for everything (as confirmed by their own handyman!). The first day I moved in the power wouldn’t work and I got told it wasn’t an emergency even though all the food in my fridge and freezer was ruined. They also never respond to emails, I had to constantly chase for months and months to get even the tiniest jobs done, and the big jobs like fixing a mould issue took over a year for them to actually get someone on it and still it was never properly fixed. No matter how calm and reasonable you are to them, they are rude and aggressive in return and then when they’ve ended the call in a huff, when you have to speak to them again they actually try to gaslight you into thinking you were also contributing with the same temper as they were (luckily I always have witnesses for my phone calls and so I knew that wasn’t true!). Lynn and Sean are clearly two very narcissistic people. They also steal your deposit for no good reason - I wish I had read the reviews before signing with them as there are tonnes of people saying the say things, so it’s obviously an ongoing scheme they pull with all their tenants, they will rob you blind. They regularly inspect the property and say everything is fine and looks good, and then turn around at the end and try to take your whole deposit because they know they can get away with it. So in summary: beware and stear clear! And if you have no choice, then at least make sure to document everything, record conversations, and take pictures of everything, so you can at least beat them at their own game.

Lydia · 7 July 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Moved into this property with my…

Moved into this property with my partner to find it was a complete and utter state. When I viewed the property over 1 month prior to moving in, they said that they would clean the black mould from the bathroom which was fine. What a shock when we moved in to find the black mould was still there and the entire flat was a mess and hadn't been cleaned at all. My partner had to take 2 days off work because of stress and physical exhaustion from all the cleaning.There was no sense of urgency from their side when we called to stress how bad the flat was. They've still not resolved the issue and we have been in the flat for almost 1 week now. We continuously have to wear a face mask when we use the bathroom. It just makes me wonder how they can run a business like this and don't seem care at all. The bottom line is that the flat should have been cleaned and checked over before they handed over the keys, it's not rocket science.

Luan · 30 June 2022

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Recommending will

Will was absolutely amazing helping me find a property. He was honest and genuine, moving can be stressful and worrying but I was reassured the whole time. The moving process was quick, and I am now currently in my new home. If I had any problems or questions I would call will and would always awnser and be around. Thank you Martin& Co I highly recommend this estate agent company if you are looking to move. Fast easy process. Thanks will. :)

Grace · 21 June 2022

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Wish I could give 0 stars

Wish I could give 0 stars. They tried to move me into an unsafe building which had homeless people urinating and feces in the corridor and stairs. Vulgar graffiti on the walls. And disguised it as a luxury apartment. When I enquired about the safety of the building they just said "You're not getting your money back". They don't care about you they just want to make fast money using the fear of loss method.

Richard · 16 April 2026

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Martin & Co - A pleasure to deal with

Martin & Co - Reading have been a pleasure to deal with. Ben Dreyer and his team have helped to make the whole process of selling my deceased father-in-law’s home, so simple and straightforward. The communication with Ben, Alex & Eleanor has been friendly and informative, they attended to everything quickly and promptly and always kept me in the loop of where we were in the process. I have not sold a house following a death before or acted as an executor so finding a good estate agency such as this has been a huge benefit to me and our family.

Mark · 21 December 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Very disrespectful and threatening especially Ella

Very disrespectful estate agents, terrible service, think they are above others. Ella from Martin & Co at the Hobbs Moat branch is incredibly rude and even threatens clients, we were collecting our keys and she was openly threatening and disrespecting us. They only care about commission and are incredibly entitled. Do not follow basic etiquette and constantly lie without hesitation. I do not recommend anyone use this estate agents.

Razanoa · 1 May 2026

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

We could not have asked any more support, than the fantastic staff ( Gemma and Danielle ) provided at Martin & Co. Consistently kept us up to date with the sale of our house and 100% went above and beyond. Would highly recommend them to act on behalf of anyone selling their house!

Susanna · 6 July 2025

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

Just completed my sale yesterday with Martin and Co. Julie Duff has been immensely helpful, professional and insightful from start to finish. Any complications that arose were calmly, fairly and compassionately dealt with and Julie offered advice on the whole sale process as it went through. Her links with local traders is extremely strong as well, so you know you're getting the best service all the way through, should they be required. Julie's colleagues in the office are also tremendously helpful. Genuinely cannot fault a single thing. Thank you so much for all your help.PositiveResponsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, Value

Nick · 25 August 2021

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

As investors we had used Martin & Co before to sell a property in Pontefract and Julie Duff and her team had impressed us then. We then recently hired them to sell a bungalow, fully refurbed and ready to go. Julie found 2 buyers at asking price within a week and we were flying. Frustratingly the buyers solicitor was the worst we’ve ever encountered; slow, incompetent, inflexible and incommunicado. What should have been an easy cash saw dragged on for weeks. Through it all Julie was calm, professional, persistent and positive. In the end she came up trumps and found a way of getting us over the line. Can highly recommend Julie, Jules and all the team, a great friendly estate agent.

Gareth · 16 June 2021

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Unprofessional behaviour

Myself and my partner viewed a property of theirs. We were told we were the first to view, after confirming our interest and willingness to move forward they said they would pass our details along to the landlord. after WEEKS of trying to contact them we have recieved NOTHING except opened messages and hung up phone calls. Not only unprofessional but rude. Will not approach this company EVER again

BootyBandit · 10 April 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Do not use!

I have never left a review before but I am hoping the seller of the property New Railway Cottages reads this and changes agents. I have tried to see this property a few times now, the first time was in July, I sent a request for a viewing and I didn't get a response for weeks. Finally got a viewing booked in August (so this took a month) and then they couldn't do the viewing on the day?! I decided not to go and see it as I was so annoyed of being messed around.

Sarah · 6 January 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Google

First time buyers and was looking at a property to put an offer in and be LAUGHED at by one of the agents and told to put in asking price to which we did only to be told the asking price wasn't enough and we had to add another 5 thousand. Don't advertise at a price if your wanting 5 grand more. Absolutely no help what so ever. Wouldn't recommend these if your a first time buyer

Tara · 4 March 2025

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Horrível Letting Agency Specially Kingston branch.

I wouldn’t even give them 0 stars.” Complaints that they don’t care about tenants and only focus on money. Poor communication: People often say staff don’t reply to calls or emails for days or ignore follow-ups entirely. Maintenance ignored: Some tenants report issues like leaks or broken heating left unfixed for long periods. Horrible customer service once the tenancy started. Absolutely no idea what good customer service or proper property administration looks like.

Manoel · 10 February 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Avoid Renting at all if disabled.

Myself and family have been living in a 4 bedroom house rented firstly by Fox property's which was outstanding.And then Martin&co took hold of the management which is where it went totally horrible.The lettings manager Laura Gillet at the southend on Sea branch is one of the most arrogant horrible people I have ever come across.We have an extremely overgrown tree in the rear garden and has caused pigeons to crap everywhere so can't sit in the,garden properly.I constantly complained about the situation and was eventually trimmed over 4 years ago I have spoken to them again and Laura's reply was it's in the contract for the tenants to maintain all works that need doing to the trees and bushes and for myself that is disabled due to spinal fusion on L4 L5 And had 2 hip replacements we also had a problems with mice due to living near fields And her reply it's in the tenants contract so you deal with it they eventually sent someone round and all he Done is put wire wool into some holes the mice where in the cupboards underneath the floors I complained again about the tree and wallop Section 21 for us to leave the house after 8 yrs living here no rent arrears no trouble at all we are being evicted with no reason pls keep away from them they ruin lives and send horrible emails saying the house stinks of dogs after 16 inspections the house now stinks we have had dog ever since moving in Pls Avoid

David · 7 March 2024