Martin and Co Southend-On-Sea reviews

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Merthyr Tydfil branch- avoid at all cost

I paid for a fully managed service and unfortunately it fell well short of expectations. There were issues with communication, inspections, reporting and the handling of problems during the tenancy. By the time some issues were brought to my attention, it was too late to do much about them. What's even more disappointing is how my complaint has been handled. I submitted a detailed complaint, but many of the points I raised were never properly answered. The response seemed more focused on blaming the tenant than addressing the agency's own failures. I've now exhausted their complaints process and remain completely dissatisfied. I'm taking the matter to The Property Ombudsman and Rent Smart Wales, and will be pursuing the matter further through the courts if necessary. Based on my experience, I would not recommend this agency.

Monika · 9 October 2026

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

I’ve recently sold my property through…

I’ve recently sold my property through Martin & Co, and I just wanted to take the time to say how genuinely pleased I have been with the whole experience. Selling a property can be a stressful and emotional process, but from the moment I started dealing with Martin & Co, I felt like I was in safe hands. Everyone I dealt with was friendly, professional and, most importantly, genuinely helpful. I was kept informed throughout the sale and never felt like I was just another customer. I dealt with Emma, Lisa and Zak at different stages of the sale, and I honestly can’t thank them enough. They were all fantastic in their own way, always approachable, patient and happy to help whenever I had a question or needed an update. Nothing ever seemed too much trouble, and I really appreciated the time and effort they put into making sure everything went as smoothly as possible. What really stood out to me was how personal the service felt. I always felt that they cared about my sale and wanted the best possible outcome for me, rather than simply doing a job and moving on to the next customer. There were inevitably a few stressful moments along the way, but having such a professional and supportive team behind me made a huge difference. Their communication and commitment were excellent from start to finish. A massive thank you to Emma, Lisa and Zak for all your hard work, patience and support. I really appreciate everything you did to help get the sale over the line. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Martin & Co to anyone looking to sell their property. They have been a pleasure to deal with, and I’m genuinely grateful that I chose them to handle my sale. Thank you again to the whole team, you’ve been brilliant! ❤️

Andrew · 4 September 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Want ALL your personal info just for a viewing

Tried to view several properties with this agency but before you can even arrange a viewing, they send you an email with 15 very intrusive questions. For example, how many animals do you have - please tell us breed, names, ages, etc. Who is your current landlord - pls provide contact details. Salary, NI number, all your personal details, employment details etc. Just to view a property that you don't know if you want or not, it seems like a great deal of private information to hand over before viewing. I don't mind providing those details if I decide that I want one of their properties, but not just for a viewing. It's overkill and there is no guarantee of what happens to all your info if you don't want the property.

A · 10 August 2026

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

Praise for Peter at the Worcester branch

My husband and I would like to give our deepest thanks for the efforts of Peter Newitt. He did an amazing job of matching us with the perfect rental property. He is very perceptive at matching landlords with tenants. Through Peter keeping who we are and what we were hoping for in mind he found us our dream place after just one previous viewing. By this point we'd had viewings with various other local estate agents and we can state categorically that Peter is of a calibre that you'd hope to find but rarely do. Professional, genuine and delivers. Furthermore our experience so far of the general services of the agency has been professional and congenial and we would gladly recommend.

Ekat · 27 June 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Extremely disappointing experience with…

Extremely disappointing experience with this letting agency in Colchester. Since moving into the property, we have experienced ongoing administrative failures, poor communication, and a complete lack of support. At move-in, we were handed five keys, however three of them had absolutely nothing to do with the building and were unusable. For the first several months, my husband repeatedly received parking fines because the agency failed to properly arrange the required parking permit despite being informed multiple times. We also experienced prolonged issues accessing our mailbox, resulting in delays receiving important and legal correspondence. Despite months of requests, it took approximately six months to finally receive a key for the bicycle storage area. Communication regarding serious building-related incidents has also been extremely poor. Residents were not properly informed about break-ins, damaged and forced-open mailboxes, missing parcels, security concerns, or access-related works affecting the building. Most concerning of all, the agency appears unwilling to properly engage with contractual issues raised by tenants and simply attempts to close matters without proper investigation or resolution. Overall, dealing with this agency has been unnecessarily stressful and frustrating from the beginning. We would not recommend them based on our experience.

Éva · 21 May 2026

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

The process of searching for and…

The process of searching for and acquiring a rental property can be extremely challenging and stressful, but when you are assigned an agent who’s willing to work with you to find that property, then work with your interests in mind, that makes the process that little bit easier, my agent Ryan McKenzie was that person.thank you Ryan,

Alex · 4 September 2026

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

We have had an excellent experience…

We have had an excellent experience with Martin & Co Chesterfield. They are approachable, friendly, thorough and professional, with excellent attention to detail. Gabrielle at Martin & Co Chesterfield is outstanding: attentive and professional. She is our go to person, and we are genuinely grateful for her support. Highly recommended!

Teacherr · 9 October 2026

★★★★★ 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

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

What can I say except EXCELLENT customer service and care! We had a nightmare with other agents and along came Martin & Co who sold our property at half the price other agents were charging but with twice the service! Seriously do not hesitate in listing your property with them - you won't regret it! Special thanks to Charlotte Crane who was there every step of the way, who gave up her spare time to see the sale our old property and purchase of our new property through to completion. This can be one of the most stressful processes, but she continuously reassured us and was always available no matter what question/concern we had. Also Gayner who handled the viewings and initial sale was absolutely fantastic in negotiating the best price for our property and was excellent at getting viewings booked and acquiring feedback - this made the sale really smooth and stress free. Thank you Martin & Co... We believe we've found our forever home - but if we did ever decide to move again, YOU will be selling our property without hesitation! Would 1 Million % recommend 💪👏🙌🫶

Joseph · 22 April 2024

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

The only good experience is when you aren't interacting with them

Sent harassing emails to entire flat building during tenancy; expecting tenants to maintain the building in a way that is clearly the landlords responsibility. Would also try and sell us 3rd party insurance coverage to cover "damage" that falls under wear-and-tear, so the cost would not fall onto them. When we first moved in there was a clear fire hazard (exposed wires hanging from the ceiling with running electric), that after requesting maintenance for, was told it was a known issue for months. Oven upon move in was essentially broken, with the top heating elements bent at a 90 degree angle into the oven, and it produced a bad smell. Hob on top was rusting off. Was told that because it was "technically working" they didnt have to replace it. They finally replaced it after 6 months, but only when we emailed them saying they were infringing on our rights as tenants. Bad at communication for viewings when we were moving out. Also, the woman I turned my keys into on the last day was EXTREMELY rude, mocking me, and overall completely condescending and snarky for no reason when there was a small issue of keys not matching their inventory. The keys issue was resolved quickly as it was my housemate who had misplaced a key, but Martin and co were absolutely no help in resolving it and were horrible to deal with. Landlords are evil.

Pooqa · 22 August 2026

★★★★★ 5/5

Trustpilot

The Exeter branch were excellent when…

The Exeter branch were excellent when dealing with my daughter’s student accomodation in a private house. In particular Kym Hamilton deals with lettings and is very professional, helpful and efficient.

Louise · 29 August 2026

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

We used Martin & Co to sell our flat. Having had a poor experience with another local agent we swapped to Martin & Co and it was like night & day! They offered insightful advice and recommendations, were proactive about following up enquiries and were always responsive and professional. In particular a huge thank you to Reece and Rhiannon who made a very stressful time much easier.

Rhiannon · 27 October 2025

★★★★★ 2/5

Trustpilot

It seems Martin and Co like other…

It seems Martin and Co like other estate agents are making it difficult for anyone on benefits. I saw a two bedroom apartment in New Moston, not exactly a posh area. The rent is affordable but not for people on benefits. Unless you are earning thousands of pounds a month you will have to have a guarantor. Why do estate agents make it so difficult for people on benefits? This so unfair and discrimination against poor people.

Shop · 21 August 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Unhelpful, unprofessional, unreliable

I've put a star, but they don't deserve any! Booked a viewing with that agency more then a week in front. On the day of the viewing agent called me twice to postpone the appointment as literally pushed me to the back of the list for some reason, maybe because I'm a foreigner if I have to be honest, but his excuse was because of cancellation. If there is cancellation it's normal to go forward on the list not backwards, however I accepted the changes twice. Obviously that wasn't enough and when I turned up to the property in the exact hour they advised me there wasn't anybody. Absolute disgrace to waste people's time like that.

Lachezar · 30 July 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

I have never in my life written a…

I have never in my life written a negative review online, it is simply not in my character, but my experience with Martin & Co Chelsea has left me feeling that I have no choice. I want to be fair and say that the agent I dealt with at the beginning was incredible, professional, helpful and a pleasure to deal with. Unfortunately, as soon as Josh Gledhill became involved as my property manager, the experience turned into a nightmare. Let me also point out that I paid an entire year’s rent upfront. I was always kind, patient and tried to find practical ways to manage the many issues that arose during my tenancy. I never expected special treatment, only basic help and professional communication. Instead, I constantly had to chase and follow up for even the most basic support. When problems arose, help was either extremely delayed or poor. After seven years of renting in Chelsea, I have never experienced such poor property management. I would not recommend renting with this agency because when problems arise, you need to know that your property manager will actually help you, not leave you constantly chasing. The contrast between the excellent service I received at the beginning and my experience once Josh became involved could not have been greater. By far the worst experience I have ever had with a property manager.

M · 7 July 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

A systemic pattern of gross negligence

A systemic pattern of gross negligence, unauthorised charges, and regulatory evasion. Under the management of Branch Manager Conor Taylor and Head of Property Management Emma Collis, Martin & Co Oxford demonstrated a pattern of gross negligence and dishonesty that resulted in over £15,000 of damages to my property. To make matters worse, The Property Ombudsman (TPO) effectively enabled this misconduct by failing to hold the agency accountable. The Core Issues: 1. Tenant Damage Ignored: They ignored contractors' reports and photographs documenting vandalism and structural issues, demanding I cover the costs without a meaningful investigation. 2. Illegal Occupant Overlooked: They failed to detect and act against an illegal occupant, breaching the tenancy they were paid to enforce. 3. Misuse of Funds: Funds explicitly sent for a check-out inspection were fraudulently diverted to pay for an unauthorised boiler service carried out without my knowledge or consent. 4. DPS Misrepresentation: They deliberately misrepresented my substantial damages claim to the Deposit Protection Scheme as a mere request for small "contributions," leading to a derisory award. The Cover-Up: My Subject Access Request (SAR) later revealed they dismissed my evidence-backed complaint to the TPO as merely "lengthy," withheld crucial property records, and never provided their complete company file to the regulator despite claiming they would. They have since officially refused my SAR requests and withheld pre-tenancy renovation invoices that the previous owner confirms are in their possession. A Direct Note to Kelly-Ann Lindsay (Reviewer from June 2026): Kelly-Ann, if you read this, please know you are not alone, and this is not just "another bad agent". It is a systemic operating model. They subjected me to the exact same tactics: unauthorised maintenance bills, severe financial discrepancies, and total communication blackout ("emails ignored, calls ignored"). Being overseas in the Netherlands makes it harder to fight them, but please do not let them get away with it. I highly recommend searching for my detailed post on Reddit: "Martin & Co Oxford gross negligence tenant damage" for a full account of the evidence and to see how we can hold them publicly accountable. Final Verdict: I cannot overstate the importance of reviewing evidence prior to trusting them with your property. Martin & Co Oxford's conduct is completely unacceptable, and the official redress system has proven to be a sham. Stay FAR AWAY.

Coralie · 5 July 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Martin and Co Oxford & Thame

Martin and Co Oxford & Thame: Not that any estate agent cares about a bad review but, what a joke, as a landlord, you try to be nice, you try to treat people with respect but clearly its just about money. I have spent countless hours chasing money due to financial errors on M & C side and I still have yet to get it back. Repairs have been done in my flat without my permission, so I just receive bills for things I wasn't even aware were broken. Emails ignored, calls ignored, communication = zero.Just absolutely rubbish but then, Not my first estate agent that has been like this. I have

Kelly · 24 June 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

I viewed a property at Bestwood Village

I viewed a property (House) at Bestwood Village as i am very eager to move there. The agent showing me the property put me forward for an application right there on the spot after i told her i was desperate to live in this area to be close to relatives. On viewing I mentioned one concern about the bath panel needing repair but there were several other minor concerns i was prepared to deal with myself on moving in. Once i had been put forward for the tenancy everything seemed to run smoothly until it came to being handed the keys. It was only after paying the deposit and getting the keys that i was told there was an inventory attached to the contract with repairs that were pending. I took my own photos and added these to an email and sent them to the agency and the landlord. From the offset the emails i received back and forth afterwards were rude and degrading to my character and i was left feeling guilty about reporting the repairs. They denied that i reported the bath panel to the agent on viewing (which I did) and I was told it was not appropriate to mention to the landlord that i had done so as it made them look in a bad light. I have never known such rudeness before with any other agencies. I have viewed properties before with this agency years ago and will admit they were a fair company to gain a property from. But after this experience i will never go with them again and I'm sure they've black listed me anyway. Just for being honest!!! I really wanted to move into this house but with this Agency as the go between my experience with the landlord did not run smoothly.

Patrick · 21 June 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

If i could give 0 stars I would

If i could give 0 stars I would. My husband and I have rented a property through this agency for 1y and 4 m and for this period it was obvious that they care only for your money. When we moved in it wasn't cleaned properly, it smelled discusting, the spider webs were pretty much everywhere but due to our situation back then we moved in. They said that we are allowed to repaint walls and doors as long as it's in natural and light colors (we repainted only the front door since the rest was not worth it) however this drastictly changed when we were moving out. On various of visitations we asked about the forming mold, and how to handle it; if they could install a hood, because the cooking situation wasn't okay; if they can change the oven, because it was not working properly, however we never recieved an answer or solution for those things, which later were considered as "damaged beyond reasonable wear and tear". We had to terminate our contract because we find out that we are expecting a child and due to health reasons we had to move back to our home country, which led to series of emails, debating regarding the check-out report where the "before" photos were worse than the "after" but still demanding that we are responsible for paying for things like nails in the walls (on which is visible that it has been painted on top of them before our occupation); stated that we repainted the front door without permission; said that the mold was totally our fault (since they didn't advise us how to handle it); said that the kitchen walls were stained (because of the lack of a hood); we cleaned everything before moving out and it's clearly seen on the "before"and "after" photos, but they still demanded that we had to pay for the cleaning fee, and so on..... After 2 and a half months of emails they kept all the deposit and we even had to pay nearly 300 on top of that ,just so we could be done with them as we were already aproaching our due date and didn't have the nerves and time to continue. We are deffinetly sure that everything was just because they knew that we won't be in the country anymore and wanted to get from us as much as possible, but it's jsut too much.

Yana · 19 June 2026

★★★★★ 1/5

Trustpilot

Extremely disappointed

Throughout our tenancy we had to constantly chase for updates, and several issues with the property were never fully addressed. We maintained the home to a high standard and left it in a clean, well‑kept condition, yet our landlord is now refusing to release our deposit. This situation has been made even more frustrating by Martin & Co’s nitpicking during the checkout process, despite clear evidence of fair wear and tear and the overall condition we left the property in. Based on our experience, I would strongly advise avoiding 24 Blagdon Close. The landlord has been extremely difficult to deal with and the lack of fairness at the end of the tenancy has been unacceptable.

Ellie · 11 June 2026

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

We used Martin & Co to market our property. Right from the very first visit, Reece was very professional and friendly and gave us honest feedback on our property and the current market. Reece discussed with us that he wanted to take a variety of photos of the property to show it off as well as a virtual tour. We were blown away when we received copies of the photos as they were absolutely fantastic. He really captured the property and all that it has to offer. Throughout all the viewings Harry was extremely professional and had all the knowledge on the property for any questions that the potential buyer had. As a vendor, when you’re eagerly waiting to hear how the viewing went, we really appreciated the prompt feedback that we received via email within an hour of the viewing as well as a follow up call the following day once he had spoken to the viewer. We received an email from Harry one day asking if it would be ok for him to visit the property to complete a video tour for their social media, which we agreed to. We were absolutely shocked at the high level quality of this video and were eager to see it on their platforms. It really showcased our property. A brilliant addition to their marketing. A special touch that we really appreciated was how the team would communicate via text with us to book a viewing in or ask any questions, or give feedback. A quick, simple, professional yet friendly text message was perfect. This even worked both ways, I would sometimes send a quick text to Harry or the team of an evening when I sat down and would always get a reply first thing in the morning. I understand that this might not be for everyone, but for two busy people with a busy work life, a quick text was absolutely perfect for us and we really appreciated that. If we ever had to talk about anything in more detail they were always at the end of the phone. It really was the best of both worlds. We were recommended to Martin & Co by a member our family and whilst we believed they were predominantly for lettings, the team really do need some recognition for their sales department. They really do stand out from other, more “popular” agents out there. We had full trust in every member of the team at Martin & Co and can not fault them one little bit. We would happily use Martin & Co again in the future if/when we come to sell again. Highly recommend!!

Wayne · 27 July 2023

★★★★★ 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

★★★★★ 5/5

Google

An absolutely fantastic company, with great people that have a can do attitude, quite rare today. Everyone is polite, professional and courteous. All in all I would recommend Martin & Co in Southend-on-Sea, their manager Reece is brilliant, Rhiannon and Ruby are conscientious and diligent and Laura is great when it comes to property management. I would put Martin & Co on the top of my list fpor all things property in Southend-on-Sea

Jonathan · 25 October 2023