Foxtons

I live below a flat managed by Foxtons in Earlsfield. 5 weeks ago water started to come through my hall ceiling.

Foxtons have failed to sort this out, despite my constant attempts to get their help. They really couldn't care less. The managing agent for the block has had no luck with them either. Over the past few weeks, more damp patches have appeared, and my boiler is now also surrounded by damp and mould.

I got in today, and found water was coming through a service hatch in the hall. Noone at Foxtons would help with getting a plumber out to look at this. Landlords should also beware when engaging Foxtons to manage their properties safely. When the managing agents for the block sent a surveyor out to look into the cause of the leak, Foxtons forgot to send someone out to let him into the flat.

I had to get the keys from their office and still have them, as Foxtons can't be bothered to come and collect them. Just as well I am not a burglar!

Dreadful co. Had 4 years of effectively being tied in.

Exhorbitant charges and from the beginning, a catalogue of errors. Eventually got rid of them as managing agents. I had to chase and follow up everything, eventually insisting on a refund of high costs for simple jobs with Foxtons charging, for example, £10ph more for an electrician than I'd be charged if I'd contacted the co myself, despite already paying mgmt costs! Catalogue of errors from every single person assigned to us, bar one.

Have just started official complaint procedure after being charged virtually a month's rent JUST to renew contract and they still haven't produced anything to sign despite contract ending over a month ago so I have tenants in my property with no legal papers to say so. Dates were wrong, tenants name was wrong. They were very quick to take their fees tho. Very slow to reply to mails and have a habit of ignoring phone calls.

Wouldn't touch them. They give estate agents a bad name.

Worst of the lot in integrity !!

As the name suggests, cruel and crook.

One of my friend's had the worst experience with these guys.

It is not sufficient to do a background check of tenants.

One must perform background checks on agents and their landlords too.

My friend's landlord, engaged through Foxtons, was an over-greedy one.

At the end of the tenancy, he held an over-greedy eye onto her entire deposit amount.

At the time of tenancy closure and deposit release, he sent a huge fictitious bill of charges through the agent, which was greater than the deposit on contract.

When we enquired with Foxtons, they washed their hands off saying this is not their responsibility. The owner is free to do so.

It was quite obvious that Foxtons passively supported and played a role.

My friend fought a tough battle to get back her deposit. Still he was paid off a small fee for damages, which were in fact caused during the previous tenancy.

Owner's can claim for dirt and genuine damage. But malicious intent must be punished.

This malicious intent reflects on Foxtons business dealings.

Never approach. You're better off.

I am a tenant and the service is exactly the same. Before we signed they were all over us with service and great communication.

Once we signed, it has been like trying to pull teeth from a chicken to get a response on serious issues for that the landlord should be aware of. At the end of the day, the property is the landlords investment and they should be aware of issues that are making their property lose value and should he issues continue, the cost to repair or fix the issues will be far higher. At the end of the day Foxtons don't care as long as they are getting paid. They even charge the landlords an extra 25 % ontop of all invoices that they receive for maintenence work.

Ask the property manager if they have even seen the property they are managing.

I can almost guarantee the answer will be no. Good luck with them.

I am a landlord and Foxtons found a tenant for my property in London. They are managing it right now, or at least, they are charging me to manage it but they have done almost nothing to make me feel that I am in good hands.

Here are the facts:

- Nearly a month after the tenants moved into my property, Foxtons has NOT changed over the utilities to the tenants' names, which means the gas, electricity, water and council tax bills are still being paid by direct debit by ME!

- despite repeated requests to Foxtons, they do not even have the courtesy to reply to my emails. As an overseas landlord, I find their lack of responsiveness very frustrating

- there seems to be no one to ask to rectify the situation - I have found that Foxtons' chain of command does not seem to allow for any help to their customer

Foxtons, in my opinion, is one of the worst property management companies I have ever dealt with (and I have experience of this matter). They are very good at chasing customers to sign them up, but once you actually sign up with them, they ignore you severely and do nothing to justify the high property management fees they charge.

We set up viewings with Foxtons and even proceeded to make an offer. However, the attitude of the agents were cold and *** They simply relay any messages between the buyer and seller, and do not care about our circumstances.

When we gave up and decided to go through another agent, they insisted to the seller that they be paid for showing us the property!

*Sellers be aware* Foxtons is known in this field to be ripping customers off with ridiculous contracts like this. Be sure you read the fine print when you sign with them. Yes they are a big company, but what good does it do if they do not have the customers' interests in mind at all??? I do not recommend this agent to buys or sellers.

Foxton's totally misrepresented the flat we short letted before arriving in London from abroad, and now is barely willing to do anything about it. it was advertised on their website as 2 bedroom and included an extra 8'x6' space that i was planning on using as a study. this area was represented both in pictures describing the flat (2 out of 14 pictures) an don the floorplan. Foxton's representatives have admitted that it was their mistake to continue to advertise the flat in this manner, but now won't refund the difference in cost nor allow us to terminate our fraudulent lease. How can this company still be in business?

AND- our short let agent (Rebecca Gibbs, Notting Hill office) has apparently flat out lied to her superiors that she told us that portion of the flat was not included. Totally dishonest- I will never set foot in Foxton's for any reason.

You shouldn't either.

Foxton's misrepresented our short let flat, by advertising it as a 2 bedroom plus an additional 8'x6' space I was planning to use as a study. They had 2 of 14 pictures showing the space and showed the space on the floor plan.

Upon arriving, we learned that the space was not included (which they knew), and they've admitted this mistake but are barely willing to do anything about it. Additionally, our short let agent (Rebecca Gibbs, Notting Hill office) has flat out lied to her superiors that she did tell us this space was not included. Not true, especially since I highlighted how excited I was to find a 2bedroom flat with this extra space!

I am totally appalled, and will never set foot in Foxtons again.

Neither should you- don't trust them!

I understand the seller being pissed if Foxton's said they were full service and promised to do all the running around. This is what full service agents do, all the work, which is why we expect to get paid for it. There is a lot of behind the scenes work and expense involved in selling a house. Which is why we require 6% listings.

That being said, do homeowners really believe they will get the same sevice for 2, 3 or 4%? I don't believe it, they are hearing what they want to hear and not reading between the lines. Do they think all the real agents out their are just being greedy. Well they are not. By the time all the advertising is done, the commission is split with the buyers agent and then split with the brokers, the agent barely has enough left to pay all their business expenses and turn a profit.

The problem is that Foxton's agent were paid employees(given a car, health care, computers) they had no real incentive to sell the property once it was listed. Full service realtors are independent business owners who have to sell your home to make any money at all. Plus they have to pay all business expenses from advertising to auto maintenance, to office supplies and insurance.

Most full service realtors enjoy their work, they really care about how selling their home affects families. They want what is best for their clients. However they do have to feed their own families and they cannot do that on 4% listings unless they take so many they cannot service them all, just like Foxton's did.

Again, you get what you pay for.