Landlords fight for rent
According to its website, Berkshire Estate Agents is “totally dedicated to offering a friendly, personal approach to buying, selling and letting property”.
But furious clients across several counties have a very different view of the company, and director Lee Clarke.
Sally Partington let her terraced house in Chippenham, Wilts, through Berkshire Estate Agents and took it to the Property Ombudsman when she stopped receiving rental payments amounting to £3,883.
She still hasn’t got the money despite the watchdog ruling in her favour.
“I’m at the end of my tether with this man and his company,” said Sally.
“In the early days when payments were ‘just’ late rather than ceased, Lee Clarke blamed his staff, the payroll system, the fact he had been on holiday. I kept asking him to set up a direct debit and he always skirted around the issue.”
Oumar Masood rented his one bedroom flat in Slough through the company and also complained to the
aNO REPLY Lee Clarke The empty office Property Ombudsman about it.
“I have had rent withheld and paid late for no reason,” he said.
“Once I raised a complaint with the Property Ombudsman he never paid me again.
“I am owed five months’ rent, more than £4,000.”
Dr Jianye Wang of St Albans, Herts, said his issues go beyond being owed rent by the company.
“During chasing Berkshire Estate Agents and communicating with the tenant, I realised the deposit wasn’t registered or protected, as required by law,” he told me.
Amanda Dunworth of Ashford, Middlesex, said her issues include tenants moving out and being given their deposits back without her permission, despite damaging her flat, and having to make numerous phone calls chasing her rent.
“My agreement is for a full management service for which I pay £96 per month,” she said.
“What I am paying for is beyond me given my extensive list of complaints.”
Mr Clarke, 40, has not replied to my messages, and when I visited the offices they were empty.